The Road of Life
by KillerQueen312
Summary: Reincarnation, huh? The idea loses its novelty when you realize that you're not the only reincarnated in the world. The advantage over others also puts a target behind my head. Not that it's much of an advantage. What's a boy to do when life stomps you down? Get up, or decide it's not worth the effort. The latter becomes increasingly more tempting the longer my new life goes on...
1. Chapter 1: Itachi Uchiha

**Full Title: The Road of Life - The Tale of Team Kushina  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all of its characters.**

* * *

 _I woke up to a familiar red corridor, though its usual calm atmosphere was replaced with a thick, brooding one. I could not fathom what could trigger such a change. I stuck my hand out to the wall beside me, trying to regain my balance as I stood up. It was wet, and warm, not unlike the sensation of blood on your hand. A feeling I know all too well, considering my line of job. I checked my person, feeling the usual black hooded coat I had gotten so familiar with, but no equipment, nor even my eyepatch. I had never needed those things, going to this place._

 _I looked forward, seeing nothing but pitch black corridors. I looked behind me, and was greeted by the same sight. I took a few steps forward; wary of how the change of atmosphere made the place I would always call a safe-haven so uncomfortably dreary._

 _"Shisui!" I called out. My voice echoed throughout the corridor. No answer greeted me. I trudged forward, a grim expression on my face._

 _"Shisui!" I called out again. As I took more steps forward, I could feel something sloshing against my legs. Looking down, I saw water; murky, dark water. "Where are you, Shisui!"_

 _The place felt like a labyrinth. The usual sensation of something pulling me was gone. I had no guide, no feeling of connection. I could not feel Shisui. I quickened my pace, panic surging through me. It seemed like an eternity when I finally came upon the end of a corridor, which opened to a bigger room. I expected to see a familiar sight, telling me that everything was okay; pulling me back from the depths like a sailor would to an anchor. But there wasn't._

 _Shisui was gone._

* * *

"Mori Tora!"

I looked over the dining table at my mom, my eyes drooping from sleep. It was half past six in the morning, and I felt like I just wanted to crawl back into bed. "What is it, mom?" I asked.

My mom's cheeks puffed, as she usually would when she was annoyed. "Were you listening to a word I said?" she asked.

I tilted my head. "I guess not," I shrugged. Letting out a sigh, mom put her breakfast down for a second before looking at me right in the eye.

"Let me guess. You've been reading through the night, haven't you?"

I did not grace her question with an answer, which seemed to be just as much of an answer for my mom. Five years old, and my mom already had me figured out like a book in that short amount of time.

"And judging by your sour mood, you had another dream, didn't you?" she asked. Once again, she was spot on. "Still not able to remember anything about it?"

I shook my head. "Everything blurs away whenever I wake up," I answered. "You think that means something?"

She shrugged. "People dream. It's not exactly rare for them not to remember about it either. But it's affecting you."

"I'm sure it'll pass," I replied. I honestly hoped it would. Waking up so suddenly in the cold morning isn't fun. "Anyway, what were you telling me again?"

My mom's face brightened as she pulled her brown hair into a high ponytail. "Looks like Mikoto Uchiha coming to our bakery yesterday boosted its popularity quite a bit," she exclaimed. She looked so excited. While I was happy for her, I just couldn't muster up the same amount of excitement, and it wasn't just because I was sleepy.

"That's good," I answered with a small smile. "She said nice things, didn't she?"

My mom puffed her cheeks in an almost childlike manner. "Oh, I sure hope she would! Wouldn't that be great?" she asked.

"It would," I said. An endorsement from quite the public figure from such a prestigious clan would mean a lot. We weren't exactly making a lot on our ends, and while we've had a few part-timers over the last months, they were just that. Part timers. I even had my fair share of hours in the bakery.

Our house and bakery was just outside the Uchiha Compound. A few steps and a hop or two, and we'd be right at their gates. I've seen a few of their clan members milling about. They seemed so dreary, especially with their high collars. Not that I couldn't say the same to myself with how reserved I am with people around my age.

After a fulfilling breakfast and more stories from my mom, I excused myself from the table and headed to the bathroom. A quick shower and a change of clothes would be a good start for the day. Navigating the halls of our small house, I opened the door to the bathroom and closed it behind me. Picking up a small stool from the corner of the room, I put it beneath the sink and climbed on top of it. Curse my age.

Taking in myself in the mirror, I came face to face with the visage I had been seeing in the mirror for a few years now. Straight mop of brown hair framed my head. It was a bit messy, and a few bangs strayed over my forehead. My eyes were a dark green, and one thing mom noted was that I was pretty tall for a five year old. It had been a little over six months since my birthday. Six years old was just a few months away now.

I took out my toothbrush and put some paste on it. As I did my morning ritual before a shower, my mind strayed to my existence in this world. It had been five years since I was born here, and there was this undeniable feeling that it wasn't the first time I had been born. Or the feeling that some of the things I've seen here are familiar.

Mori Akemi, my mother, was an enthusiastic bundle of joy, and raised me on her own. She had always dreamed of having a bakery of her own, and the fact that she managed just that made her so happy. I never asked about my lack of a father, but the old photos of them together, and the shinobi vest he was wearing told me enough, especially as the Third Ninja World War was still going on.

My maturity had surprised a lot of strangers. Mom just brushed it off as my quirk, but the fact remained that I was mature beyond my years. There were some things I'm familiar with; some knowledge that I was sure came from somewhere. One does not just remember trigonometry calculations from birth.

But while those knowledges remained, the memories dispersed. I did not know who I was, or where I came from. It sucked, but I supposed that's how a clean slate works. Though, having all this knowledge as a cheat sheet was a bit nice, too.

Spitting out the remains of toothpaste from my mouth, I took a quick shower and put on a plain dark T-shirt and a pair of pants. Mom probably wanted me to look after the counter again for the day. As long as I got to read my book, I was fine with that.

* * *

Two hours into my duty, and only a handful of people came. Having the Uchiha Compound so close to us was like a double-edged sword. On one hand, they were a very prestigious clan, one of the founding members of Konoha, if history books rang true. On the other hand, I wasn't a stranger to the rumors about them. The Second Hokage had some beef with the clan, and it seemed that problem wasn't resolved, even now. While they were respected, they were also feared, which put our bakery in a tight spot, being so close to them.

I could hear my mom hard at work in the kitchen. She had always loved baking, and by extension, cooking. Even with meager ingredients, she could dish out some pretty good food. My eyes wandered back to my book; a small book about Konoha's history and its relations with the other Great Villages. It was the last copy available in the library, at least, the last readable copy.

I heard a chime from the bell above the door, signaling a customer coming in. "Welcome!" I greeted them, lacing my voice with as much sweet enthusiasm as possible, which probably isn't that much, to be honest. It was only a moment later when I realized who I was greeting.

Uchiha Mikoto stood there, a small smile on her face. She wasn't that tall, but I could feel an aura of authority coming out of her. "Good morning!" she greeted. "My, already hard at work, I see."

"Well, you could say that," I replied. "Anyway, what will be your choice, Uchiha-san?" I gestured to the variety of bread and pastries on display. Mom should be proud of her creations. They tasted and looked good. She even created more than a few recipes herself.

Mikoto looked around for a second before looking down behind her. "Interested in anything, Itachi?" she asked. It was then that I noticed the young boy standing behind Mikoto. He was probably only four years old, and yet I could feel a hint of maturity within his eyes.

"Itachi, is it?" I asked more to myself, but Mikoto answered it nonetheless.

"Yes, Itachi," Mikoto beamed, not unlike my mom's expression whenever she introduced me to other people. "My son is a bit quiet, but he's a nice boy."

Just at the right moment, mom came out with another batch of fresh bread. She almost dropped her tray when she caught sight of the Uchiha matriarch. "Oh, my!" she exclaimed. "You came back!" she cried out, almost in tears. Mikoto just chuckled mirthfully.

"Well, you did make some pretty good bread. Itachi here wanted to see where it was made. He especially likes the sweet ones," Mikoto chuckled.

After exchanging greetings, mom stumbled back to the kitchen. Mikoto and young Itachi took their time before presenting their chosen products to the counter. I noted the amount, wrote down the price and presented Mikoto with the bill. "Here it is," I said.

As she handed me the appropriate amount of money, I heard a small voice from Mikoto's hip. "Is that the History of Konoha and Her Relations?" Itachi asked about the book sitting innocently on the counter. I had forgotten that it was still there.

"Yes, it is," I said, a little unsure. "Why?"

Itachi looked to the side for a moment before setting his eyes back on the book. "The library had no copies of the book left to borrow," he said.

 _So he can read already,_ I thought. The thought of a four year old reading this level of writing was astounding. Of course, the same could be applied to me, but I had the advanced mental capacity to help me learn how to read faster. "Want to borrow it?" I asked Itachi.

Itachi's eyes widened and he looked to his mother, as if asking for permission. With a smile from her, Itachi turned back to me. "Can I?" he asked, hands folded in front of him. He was so polite, even to kids around his age.

"Well, I would say not to ruin it, but I get the feeling that you take care of your books," I said, picking up the book before handing it to Itachi. He cautiously accepted it; as if afraid I'd pull back and change my mind at the last second.

"Oh, he will. He always does," Mikoto said proudly, putting a hand on Itachi's head.

"When should I return it?" Itachi asked.

I shrugged. "Whenever you're finished with it, really. I'm not in a hurry."

"Thank you," Itachi beamed. It was almost unnoticeable, but one could catch the slightest of smiles on the boy's face. I put the paid products in a bag before handing it over to Mikoto.

"You know, you're not like most kids I've seen, even among my clan," Mikoto said as she took the bag. "You're perceptive for your age."

I blushed as I folded my hands behind my back; a habit I do whenever I'm embarrassed. "I get that a lot," I said.

"It's good to see Itachi reaching out for once, even if it's to borrow a book," Mikoto said. "Well now, I believe it's time we head back, Itachi."

"Yes, mother," Itachi replied.

"Oh, by the way," Mikoto turned back to me. "I didn't catch your name."

"It's Tora. Mori Tora, Uchiha-san."

"Well, then. See you later, Tora-kun. And thank you for the bread," Mikoto said as she headed out with Itachi, the small bell on top of the door chiming to mark their exit. Silence descended upon the room once more, but now I had no book to occupy me for the day. But I didn't mind that much.

I got the feeling that this interaction with Itachi wouldn't just be a one-time thing.

* * *

 **Yes, the awaited rewrite of "Stuck on the Road of Life" now titled simply as "The Road of Life". I know that I said that it'd be a while before a rewrite, but I guess I was just bored.**

 **No, this won't be a ShisuixTora fanfic, at least not a romantic one. And unlike most OC-Insert, Tora won't remember anything of his previous life, only vague recollections. But don't worry, his presence will change the story quite a bit, just not in a way most expects. I just feel him not having a memory will provide a much more natural progression and reduce unnecessary thoughts on Tora's part. Making him think of ways to change stuffs is too much of a hassle for me.**

 **Anyway, follow and favorite for more. You can put on a review or just PM me if you have any questions. Until then, see ya!**


	2. Chapter 2: Shisui Uchiha

**The Road of Life**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all of its characters.**

* * *

I was kicked out of the house for a while. Mom closed the shop for the day and locked down the house. She told me to go play or something while she thought things over. Really, I wouldn't have guessed that the suggestion that I become a shinobi to help support the bakery would be taken this hard. The average pay of an average shinobi was more than enough to at least hire a full-time helper for mom, and after hearing about it, I couldn't not consider it. Higher ranked shinobis are even paid more handsomely, but I doubt they'd have the time to spend all of them considering their job. Giving the majority to mom would be the sensible choice, if I were to reach that high.

It wasn't that surprising, really. In a militaristic village such as this, the shinobis are a huge money-maker. These glorified mercenaries support the village as their main income as well as security. Still, with the war going on, I doubt I'd be able to take on a leisure position as a shinobi.

Rumors had it that the war was going to be over soon, though. I wasn't sure how to take it, but I could always hope. Teaching at the academy wasn't that bad of an idea. It was a much more stable role compared to that of an active ninja, but still quite important. With The Fourth's inauguration just around the corner, as well as the rumors of two candidates, there would be bound to be some changes in the system.

Not really having anywhere to go, I wandered aimlessly before finding my way right in front of the Uchiha Compound's gate. There were two guards, each wearing the uniforms of the Military Police of the village. Both of them Uchihas and neither of them seemed particularly friendly.

I decided to be an idiot and take my chances. Strolling towards them, both guards looked at me confusedly, before grabbing the back of my collar just as I was about to pass them.

"Where do you think you're going?" one of them asked, voice gruff and raw. Taking a closer look at their faces, both of them had faces adorned with hard lines and scars here and there. Perfect for guards, or bouncers.

"If you want to report anything, the Military Police office is near the village center," the other said. The guy holding my collar slowly pulled me back in front of them before pushing me away gently. I racked up my mind for a reason, and so, I blurted out whatever came to it.

"I want to see Itachi," I said. They looked at each other, before letting out scoffs of disbelief.

"Sure, and I'm The Third Hokage," one of them said. "Buzz off, kid. Go play around somewhere else," he dismissed. Annoyed, I turned back to where I came from and walked off, hands in my pockets.

My annoyance was getting the better of me, and so, I made it my mission of the day to get into the Compound. I was hungry, too. The renowned Uchiha Senbei would suffice for a quick lunch. Just another reason for me to sneak in. I had been in the Compound once, and it was with mom. She had effortlessly led me to the Uchiha Senbei, signaling her familiarity with parts of the Compound.

The walls were tall and no doubt guarded pretty well. An amateur like me would have no chance of infiltrating it head on. And so I headed to the nearest training ground. I remembered seeing a few people with Uchiha symbols training on said ground. They must've had some way of accessing it without going outside the gate.

I didn't bother looking at the number. The nearest training ground was just a short five minute walk from my house and I entered through the small gate signifying its purpose. It was a plain grass field. A few training dummies were scattered across the grounds. A glint of metal caught my eye and I looked towards its direction. What I found was a single kunai. I touched the tip. A bit dull, but not dull enough that it wouldn't pierce when thrown. It was obviously for training purposes. The user was sloppy, leaving his equipment unattended like this.

I put my finger in the ring of the kunai and twirled it. It felt oddly comfortable in my hands. I would expect a sense of uneasiness when holding a weapon intended to stab someone. Instead, I felt somewhat safe, and comforted. Maybe it was the effect of the war. I didn't know.

I threw the kunai at a dummy, using a form I only vaguely remembered by watching some older kids at the academy. The kunai lodged itself in the dummy's torso, way off my intended target, being its head. I clicked my tongue. Obviously, if I were to become a shinobi, I would have to invest on some training equipment. And if I want to be a good one, I'd have to go out of my way to procure more than a set of equipment to train with.

Taking my attention off the dummy, I looked around the grounds, trying to find some sort of entrance. I made sure to look in the direction of the Compound. And sure enough, hidden behind a set of bamboo trees was a metal fence gate. I walked towards it and clicked my tongue in annoyance when I realized it was locked.

 _What to do,_ I mused. I walked back and forth, even tried to kick down the gate. As my mind almost ran out of ideas, my eyes wandered to the kunai still lodged in the dummy's torso. I walked to it and dislodged it. Tracing my fingers on its tip, it seemed that the tip would fit in the keyhole, just enough to break the lock.

It took quite a while, but I would have never thought that the feeling of breaking and entering would be so satisfying. I pushed the gate, seeing it creaking open in defeat. It was my win. I pocketed the kunai, not really wanting to leave it there. One does not just leave an evidence of one's crime behind, after all.

As I edged around the corners of the Compound, I saw a surprising amount of stray cats. I took to the bush, hoping to disguise my presence as another cat. I scurried around, trying not to get myself too dirty, or come across some particularly feral cats. A few Uchihas passed me. If the bushes rustle, they would probably pass it off as cats, but I wasn't taking my chances. Getting out of the bushes, I silently ran behind a building.

 _So far so good,_ I thought. No one had seen me yet, and I plan to keep it that way until I find Itac-

"What are you doing?"

I nearly jumped up, just barely covering my mouth before a scream erupted from me. I turned around and saw a boy around my age. His hair was a mop of black, cut short and slightly parted in the middle. He was wearing a dark-colored high collared shirt and a pair of grey pants.

We stared at each other; an uneasy and awkward silence crawled between us, before the boy broke the silence and repeated his question.

"What are you doing?" he asked again. I removed my hand from my mouth and fully stood before him, our eyes locked onto one another. What should I say? Many possibilities swam through my head, each one more inviting than the other, but one answer prevailed.

"I don't know. What are you doing?" I asked back. The boy didn't look surprised. Instead he looked contemplative, as if mulling the question I shot out seriously.

"I was going to go meet my cousin for training. He had only just begun a few weeks ago, and I think I could help a bit," he shrugged.

"That's nice of you," I said, before turning the other way and taking a step. "Well, I should get going."

Unfortunately, the boy grabbed onto my shoulder before I could make my escape. "Seriously, though. What were you doing?" he asked again. "I don't think the broken lock from the training ground is going to help a lot in your case."

I narrowed my eyes. _Perceptive bastard,_ I thought. It seemed that I had no idea but to be honest with the boy.

"Do you know where Itachi lives?" I asked, not really expecting a coherent answer from him. The Compound isn't exactly a small place, after a-

"Hoh, you know my cousin?" the boy asked. I blinked. Probably one of the most idiotic responses I could muster. I blinked a few more times before the statement drilled itself into my head.

"Cousin?" I asked.

The boy shrugged. "Distant cousin. But hey, it's just semantics."

The boy's previous statement rang to my mind, prompting me to bring it up. "You said you were going to meet Itachi for training, right?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "We were going to meet in the training ground," he pointed back towards where I came from.

"Can I join?" I blurted. I expected a condescending answer from a member of such a prestigious clan, but I only saw a tinge of mirth in the boy's eyes, as well as approval.

"Sure, I don't mind. I'm sure Itachi won't mind either," the boy answered. "Still, someone has to answer for the lock."

I put my hands on the boy's shoulders and looked at him in the eye. "I know, right? Who could it be?" I asked seriously.

"It was you, idiot."

"Come on!" I whined. "Let's keep this a secret between us!" It felt weird. I couldn't help but be more open to the boy. Granted, we were the same age, but there was always this gap separating me with the other kids. But I didn't feel that with him.

"I don't even know your name," the boy answered reluctantly.

"It's Tora!" I exclaimed.

"And I'm Shisui," he replied. "Now, what were you doing, skulking around looking for Itachi?"

* * *

"Ah, so that's how it is," Shisui mused. "Itachi borrowed a book from you and you want to get it back?"

"Well, the due date from the library is coming soon, anyway," I replied. "I need to finish that book, too."

Shisui rubbed the back of his messy head. "Itachi should be coming here for training anytime now. You can talk to him about it," he said.

"That's nice," I replied, walking back to the training grounds.

"By the way," Shisui stopped me.

"What?"

"I'm kind of surprised that Itachi was the one who initiated that conversation with you," he said.

I raised an eyebrow, not really seeing the meaning. "Well, his mother did edge him on," I said.

"Still," Shisui said. "He doesn't really talk much to other people, not even within the clan. Even with the other children here, he's a stranger."

The thought didn't surprise me, to be honest. There was just something astute I saw within Itachi's eyes; a certain maturity that could only be attained by someone older. Itachi saw something, or experienced something. And it shook him.

"And what? That makes me special, or something?" I asked, crossing my arms in amusement.

Shisui smirked. "Oh, you would like that, wouldn't you?" he said.

"Oh yes, I would," I jokingly replied.

We made our way to the training grounds, ignoring the broken lock and simply chatted away, asking each other about our lives. I found out that Shisui lived with his father, and he was currently away fighting in the war. A lot of the Uchihas were. That explained the lesser presence of the Military Police whenever mom and I went to the market, and probably why they posted guards by the Compound's gate.

It was about ten more minutes before Itachi arrived at the training ground, a small bag on his rear, strapped tightly around his waist. He looked surprised when he caught sight of me. I gave a wave. Itachi, a little unsure, gave me small timid wave of his own, before making his way towards Shisui and I.

"Tora-san," he breathed out. "Why are you here?"

"I was looking for you, actually," I replied. A look of realization crossed Itachi's eyes, his black orbs widening just a hint of a fraction.

"Ah," he realized. "You're here for the book?"

"That, and I want to see you train," I shrugged.

"See me train?" Itachi asked.

"Yeah," I admitted. "In fact, I'm thinking of starting to train myself. I've decided to become a ninja."

"Why?" Itachi asked, almost too quickly, I noticed. As if he was testing me.

I stood there, trying to understand his intentions, to no avail. "Why? Well, it's more to support my mother, actually. Why" I asked back.

Itachi stared at me. For a moment he looked like a judge, and like it or not, I felt like I had to bow down to his decision. "It's nothing" he said, breaking the atmosphere that had unknowingly blanketed us. "Do we start now, Shisui?" Itachi asked his cousin.

"Ah, yes," Shisui answered. "Tora, since you have no real training yet, you can watch from the sidelines first. Take in everything I practiced with Itachi in your head."

"Sure," I replied, seeing sense in his judgement. "Though, I should start from somewhere, right?"

"Of course," Shisui nodded. "But we'll get to that later." I only nodded in response. Of course, I hadn't forgotten the original reason Shisui was here. I was basically the third wheel. I just hoped I could acclimate to them with no problem.

Seeing Itachi train was like seeing a well-oiled machine function. It was obvious that he had done his own personal training recently. Itachi threw all his kunais and shurikens with the same finesse of a seasoned academy student, and he only started a few weeks ago. A twinge of jealousy passed through me, but considering his heritage, an early training wasn't uncommon for Itachi, or even Shisui.

And still, this was with a family of a prestigious clan, who probably never had to worry about budgetary problems for most of the time. Compared to mine, who couldn't even hire a part-timer for too long before we were spreading thin on money. If I do focus my time on becoming a ninja, mom would be alone in the bakery, slaving away for me. Sometimes I wondered just how she held out all these years. It was obvious she was still grieving for dad, and later down the line, she might just grieve for her son, too.

"Hey," Shisui called. I looked up from my sitting position, seeing that the sun had already passed midway. It had gotten kind of hot. Too hot for comfort.

"What is it?" I asked.

"If you're done being bored out of your mind, Itachi and I are heading out for some dangos. Wanna come?" he offered. I stood up and dusted my pants, my stomach aching at the thought of something to fill it with.

"Sure," I answered.

"Great!" Shisui beamed. "I also want to talk to you about how you should start your training."

Itachi was patiently waiting for us by the broken fence gate. He seemed to have gotten more comfortable around me. While he was never tense, he no longer seemed… apprehensive. I couldn't really fathom what made him so distant, but it was nice to know that we were getting somewhere with each other.

Some clan members were staring at me, the stranger, as we walked through the Compound. But as they saw me walking with Itachi and Shisui, they let their stares aside. A paranoid bunch, aren't they?

"So, where should I start?" I asked Shisui.

"Well, the first step would obviously be to build up your endurance and stamina. Your body would need to get used to a certain amount of strain before getting to the harder parts," Shisui said. I noted his words. It made sense, really. The basic would have to be the physical aspects, especially with such a straining job as a ninja.

"After that, the techniques?" I asked.

Shisui nodded. "Techniques, the executions, and then chakra training with all the gizmos that follows it," Shisui said. "I get the feeling that you'll tackle the techniques quite easily. You're observant. Usually, it's the chakra training that takes the longest. It's especially harder when we're this young, as we're not quite as developed."

"Wow. You seem to know your stuffs pretty well," I admired. Shisui chuckled, a huge grin plastered on his face.

"My father is a good teacher. I have him to thank for!" he said.

For a moment, I wondered what my father would do if he were here. Well, no use in thinking about that. Dad was dead. Mother said that he promised her that the only reason he wouldn't return was if he died. I guessed he kind of jinxed himself right there.

* * *

We've had our lunch, a fulfilling dish of dangos. I never thought I'd see a quiet boy such as Itachi scarf down five sticks of dango as if it was the best dish in the world. For all I knew, he might think of it that way.

Itachi mentioned that he left the book in his room, afraid that he would ruin the book if he were to bring it to training. I was glad for that, and I was also curious as to where he lives. My imagination, however, did not prepare me for seeing Itachi's large house.

 _It even has a pond,_ I thought.

"Surprised?" Shisui chuckled as he put a hand on my shoulder. "That's the head of the Uchihas to you."

"Head? So Itachi is going to be the next clan head?" I asked. I looked at Itachi, who looked away, almost in embarrassment. "It must be hard. Your family must expect a lot from you."

Itachi rubbed his arm, letting out a sigh. "They do," he said. "It's fine, though. It's nothing I can't manage."

"Oh, after seeing your performance today, I have no doubt," I said with a smile. The small smile on Itachi's face certainly only made my smile wider. "Now, let's go inside! It's hot out here."

"You have no tact," Shisui chuckled.

"Oh, come on! Let's just enjoy being tactless while we're still kids!" I said to Shisui.

In response, Shisui's eyes twinkled with amusement and a hint of mischievousness. "Now that's a sentiment I can get behind."

Itachi could only sigh at their antics.

* * *

 **A pretty quick update, if I do say so myself. I kind of want to take things slow, but I know that taking things too slow would just make me lose audience. Let's just say, the phase before the Kyuubi attacks is the Prologue-Phase. It's not that long, probably no more than ten chapters tops.**

 **Anyway,** _ **lotuscub19**_ **asked a question in a review on whether I have a designated pairing for Tora. The answer is yes. Whether it's a ToraxMale character, you'll just have to wait and see. I'm not spoiling anything. It'll still be quite a while until that happens, though.**

 **Follow and Favorite to keep yourselves up to date! If you have any questions, you can ask them in a review or simply send me a PM. Either is fine.**

 **See ya!**


	3. Chapter 3: Unwanted Guest

**The Road of Life**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all of its characters.**

 **A/N: Before we continue, I want to address something, just in case anyone is wondering. Canonically, Shisui is much older than Itachi, but for the sake of this story, I'll be taking some liberty with a few things. Also, some things will follow Itachi Shinden, but major changes will be applied to the events as well. Also expect some changes to other parts of the series (of course), major changes.**

 **And I see that one of you has voiced their concern over the pairing. Tora is straight, and while not a self-insert, many parts of him are based on my own personality. Oh, and for the record, I'm going to use the westernized Japanese names starting from this chapter. As in, surnames are going to be said last, while their given names are first.**

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked out from his office window, or rather, his old office. Taking in the village under his care with his weathered eyes, he took a puff from his pipe. Even if he had done it a hundred times in his life, he never found it boring. Looking out across the horizon while villagers milled about with their own business, blissfully shielded from the war, it feels his heart with content, knowing that not everyone had to experience the horrors of war.

"Lord Third."

Hiruzen turned around, seeing his successor, Minato Namikaze. The young man had proved himself splendidly during the war, paving the way for victory for Konoha. And given the young man's wisdom, it was no surprise that he was chosen to be the next Hokage; a fact that one of Hiruzen's students did not take lightly. He hadn't talked to Orochimaru, the man proving himself to be as eluding as ever. He knew not where his student was, or what he was doing, always away on missions whenever he could, but so far, there hadn't been anything peculiar happening. But one thing for sure, was that their relationship had been crushed beyond repair.

 _Still, maybe it is better this way,_ Hiruzen thought. Prying himself away from his thoughts, the wizened old man addressed his successor. "Ah, Lord Fourth!" he greeted.

"I'm still not used to people calling me that," Minato rubbed the back of his head, a little embarrassed.

Hiruzen chuckled. "I understand. And please, no titles for me. I'm no longer the Hokage. You are."

"Well, if you wish, Sarutobi-sama," Minato entered, his coat tail gliding behind him as he made his way to his newly acquired desk. "What brings you here, if I may ask?"

Hiruzen took another puff from his pipe. "Just wanted to check in. It's part of my job description to make sure you acclimate well to the seat of Hokage," he said.

"Kushina has been a big help. She's very supportive and kicks me back up whenever I'm down," Minato sat down, already internally wincing at the bundle of paperwork set on his desk.

"Oh, I'm sure you meant that quite literally," Hiruzen chuckled. Minato gave a small laugh of his own, not denying the statement one bit. "How do you like the view?" the older man asked.

Minato looked towards the window. He felt like a guardian, watching over his subjects from above. It felt like the possibilities were endless, that he could do anything from up here. "It's what I've dreamed of all this time," Minato said. "And yet, somehow, it's much better than I imagined."

Hiruzen smiled. He was not wrong in choosing Minato. He would prove an excellent leader. "Anyway, the Anbus patrolling the area near the Uchiha Compound have reported something peculiar over the past few months," Hiruzen moved beside the desk, gazing his eyes towards the window.

"To capture your attention, I'm sure it's something worth noting, no?" Minato asked.

"Yes. Though, nothing harmful, I assure you," Hiruzen said.

"I'm all ears, Sarutobi-sama."

A moment passed as the older man took another puff from his pipe, savoring the tobacco before getting to the point. His successor patiently waited for the older man to continue.

"Do you know Itachi Uchiha?" Hiruzen asked.

"Mikoto and Fugaku's son?" Minato's eyebrows raised in interest. "I heard they are expecting another one soon."

Hiruzen nodded. "They are," he let out a mouthful of smoke. "What interests me is the company young Itachi keeps around him."

"Oh? Do tell."

"Two other boys are frequently seen with young Itachi; one of them another Uchiha," Hiruzen said. "They are either walking around the village, mostly the library, or most of the time, training. Awfully independent for someone so young."

"Who are they?" Minato asked.

"One of them is Uchiha Shisui. Word of his potential has spread around the clans, and I'm sure it would spread even more once he enters the Academy," Hiruzen said.

"And the other?"

"The son of a small-time baker near the Compound. Though, lately, it's been getting a bit more popular. Tora Mori is the boy's name," Hiruzen answered.

"Clanless, huh?" Minato mused. "What about his parents?"

"Young Tora's father was killed alongside his unit during the war. His mother manages the bakery, with him lending a few hours to help," Hiruzen said. "And still, he manages to find the time to train with young Itachi and Shisui."

"The Anbus don't hold back when they gather information, do they?" Minato chuckled.

"Still, Minato," Hiruzen said. "I'm sure you have quite the inkling on how Uchihas train their young, let alone the clan heir."

The Fourth Hokage nodded. "Basically pushes their young to the limit, expecting the best to produce the best. It's not the lifestyle I think kids should have, but I can't really argue with the results."

"Indeed. The Uchihas and the Hyugas are among the best when it comes to fighting prowess in the village. You can just imagine the training their young ones endure."

Minato blinked. "And you said that the three of them regularly train together, Sarutobi-sama?" he asked.

Hiruzen nodded. "While young Itachi regularly gets private training from his father, most of his practices come from being with Shisui and Tora, with the latter even keeping up with the clan heir. To say that the Anbu watching them was impressed is an understatement. Even young Shisui had almost spotted our Anbu agent, showing his remarkable sense, perhaps as a sensor. These boys have great talent, no doubt." Despite the praise he was showering them with, the older man had a grim expression on his face; a fact that Minato noticed immediately.

"You're worried that they might be whisked away by Root?" Minato asked.

Hiruzen casted a sullen gaze towards the floor, fingers clutching around his wooden pipe, as if it would give him comfort. "Young Itachi has the benefit of being the clan heir, but the other two…"

Minato narrowed his eyes. "I understand," he nodded. "Anything that you think we should do?"

"For now? No," Hiruzen answered. "We leave them as they are. Placing people to watch them would alert Danzo, prompting him to do something we do not desire."

Minato just nodded grimly. A moment of silence passed over them before Hiruzen turned the gloomy mood around with a question that caught his successor off guard.

"Speaking about children, Kushina is also pregnant. How is she?" Hiruzen asked.

Minato rubbed the back of his head, a small blush adorned on his face. "She's been worrying about the baby incessantly. It's quite endearing, to be honest."

Hiruzen just chuckled. "Well, that's how my wife was with Asuma as well. A handful, she had been," the older man said.

"Well, I don't mind her protectiveness. Makes me think how she would be when the baby is finally born," Minato mused.

"Oh, don't worry. If the child is anything like you or Kushina, the child will manage, one way or another, _Lord Fourth_ ," Hiruzen assured.

"It still feels weird to be called that," they both laughed. The grim atmosphere that surrounded them before put on the back of their mind.

* * *

Months had passed since the three of us had gotten together. After mom's reluctant permission, there was nothing to stop me from preparing for the academy. A lot had changed in the past months. A new Hokage was anointed, the war was pretty much over, my apparent ability to keep up with Itachi and Shisui's training regime, and the fact that Itachi was going to be a brother soon.

Apparently, Mikoto had been in the early stages of pregnancy when I first met her. Shisui and I could certainly tell that Itachi was excited, something easily missed by those who don't know Itachi on a personal level. It was hard not to notice the glimmer of excitement whenever we mentioned his yet to be born-brother. His brother would be born anytime now. Itachi only had to wait.

Despite all that, we had never slacked off on our training. The time when other boys would usually go out and play, we used for training. Any down time we had was usually reserved to indulge Itachi's hobby. I myself was quite the reader, but no one I knew absorbs words like Itachi. He had a certain fondness for books, especially history books. Any other time we had was used to scurry around the village, jumping across rooftops and just run; an activity Shisui thoroughly enjoyed, and it also helped with our agility and speed. While I had no memory of how I was in my previous life, I was sure that I had no chakra. The addition of this chakra made everything so much easier, and physical feats that I thought would be impossible, were pretty much feasible with the right chakra control.

Itachi's family, particularly Mikoto, had taken quite a liking to me, saying how nice it was to see Itachi bringing friends home. However, I could not get a read out of Fugaku, Itachi's father. His face was like steel, rarely changing, and always hard. It was like the man was constantly judging me and deeming me unworthy or something. He never disapproved of my presence, however, much to my relief. I hadn't seen Shisui's father, as he only got back a few weeks back. Shisui seemed really excited at the thought of introducing me to him.

I arrived at our usual training ground; the fence gate had long been fixed. The culprit had never been found, fortunately. Ever since mom had agreed to allow me to join the Academy later, she had spared about a fifth of her total earnings to my training. I vehemently tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't budge. If I was going to be a ninja, she insisted that I became a great one, which starts by having a good fundamental. While I couldn't disagree with her, a fifth was still quite a lot, in my opinion.

Still, I couldn't argue with the results that came with the money. Reaching into my pouch, I pulled two shurikens and threw them both. They flew forward for a second before clashing in mid-air, sending each to different directions, directly towards the dummy targets. As the satisfying thud reached my ears, I checked the targets. The first one hit the target, but the second one strayed and hit the target's shoulder instead. Well, one can't immediately be an expert in something.

It was a trick Itachi taught me, which was something he tried himself while he was alone. Really, while Shisui helped me a lot on endurance and Taijutsu, Itachi helped me immensely when it comes to Shurikenjutsu. We haven't delved into Ninjutsu together, but I had a feeling that Shisui and Itachi already had the basics down. After all, they had their fathers for private trainings. I couldn't help but feel a flash of jealousy, but I knew that it wasn't fair for either of them. Although, one of the first things Shisui covered with me was the leaf-training. As weeks of said training came back to my head, I could understand his decision to cover it first.

It wasn't fun. And Shisui's opinion of it was pretty much the same. But the fundamentals were needed, and so, we did it anyway.

I stretched my arms behind my head, hearing them let out a few satisfying pops. I should say that it was quite the morning. The kind that was perfect for an outing, and certainly a perfect one for a sparring practice.

I continued to stretch until a feeling of unease washed over me. It was too quiet. I whirled around, expecting something, but came up with nothing. The feeling of unease permeated within me. It did not cease. I stared at the bushes and trees. I felt like I was being stared at, and not the kind of staring I like. If anyone was out there watching me, I could not find them.

The sound of the fence gate opening broke me out of my thoughts, and I turned around to see both Itachi and Shisui, before they stilled as well. They realized it too. Our eyes met, and the message was clear between us.

 _Act normal._

Children might fidget or become nervous when cornered like this, but the three of us knew better. If you can't act like you normally do, simply don't overact. Doing so would only land you on a hot frying pan.

"Yo, Itachi! Shisui!" I called out to them. Shisui sent his own holler while Itachi silently waved. I walked closer to them, close enough to talk with them without the need to whisper, but not loud enough that whoever's watching us could catch the entirety of our conversation.

"What do we do? The usual practice?" I asked.

Shisui shook his head. "No. Let's just practice Shurikenjutsu for today. We don't know who's watching us," Shisui said, to which Itachi gave a nod as an answer. It wasn't the first time we noticed that we were being watched, but this was the first time that this sense of unease washed over us. Whoever it was, it wasn't our usual spectator.

Shuriken practice went along swimmingly. The three of us put the thought of our spectator behind our minds and focused on the practice. Even had a small competition going on for a while.

I threw three shurikens at once, seeing them lodge themselves onto three separate dummies. "So, Itachi," I called. This time, I pulled a kunai from my pouch.

"Hm?" Itachi pulled out another set of shurikens.

"Any idea when your brother is going to be born?" I asked.

"I don't know," Itachi hummed. "The doctors said that it could be any day now."

"Are you worried?" Shisui asked too as he threw a set of kunai towards a few dummies.

"Not really. Mother is tough," Itachi answered.

I laughed. "Not that. Are you worried about being a brother?" I asked.

Itachi stopped for a moment to look at me, before pulling a kunai and throwing it unceremoniously without a stance. It hit true to its target. He always did it with so little effort that it was kind of mesmerizing to watch. It was a seconds later before he answered. "A bit," he answered.

Shisui and I took that as a signal to stop practicing for now. Itachi sat down on the grass, where we followed suit. "Any reasons for your worry?" Shisui asked.

I looked at Shisui, silently asking him if this was a safe subject with a spectator with us. He held up a hand and smiled. It was safe. No more holding back for now.

"I guess it's because of how quiet I am?" Itachi said. "Will that make my brother happy?"

Shisui blinked. "Your brother will accept as you are. That's how brothers are," Shisui assured. Itachi gave no answer, seemingly not reassured. I let out a sigh before inching myself closer to Itachi.

"Itachi. We know that you don't like fighting," I said. Itachi didn't grace my statement with a confirmation or a rebuttal, but it was enough of an answer in our eyes. "So, why are you still training as a ninja?"

"I want to protect those I love," Itachi answered in a quiet voice, but without hesitation. Both Shisui and I smiled, satisfied.

"Then there's your answer," Shisui nudged Itachi's shoulder. "You'll make a great brother."

"What's gotten into you, Itachi?" I asked. "You're usually so self-assured."

Itachi hesitated, looking at me for a second before taking a breath. "I unlocked my Sharingan," he said. I was of course, familiar with the Uchiha's special eyes. It was hereditary, not unlike the Byakugan, but for some reason, needed to be unlocked. Shisui noticed my confused look and inched closer to me.

"Basically, to unlock the Sharingan, an Uchiha needs to experience an extreme state of emotion. It could be anything, but unfortunately, with the way things are, it's usually negative emotions. Often times caused by some form of bloodshed," Shisui explained. I had the feeling that this wasn't some information that any Uchiha would just give out to anyone, but after hearing his explanation, the realization hit me. Itachi's jaded expression when I first met him. As I had thought back then, something happened to Itachi. But I wasn't curious enough that I'd pry it from him. If he didn't want to talk about, I wouldn't ask.

"Hey now," I put a hand on Itachi's shoulder. "I'm not going to pretend that I understand, but whatever happened is not going to impede on your ability on being a brother."

Itachi stared at me, not giving an answer, until a small smile graced his face. It was enough for me.

"It seems our spectator's gone," Shisui cut in. He was right. I did not feel the sensation of being watched anymore. There were no hostile presences from any direction. Itachi relaxed beside me, taking in the midday wind. Sometimes, it felt nice to just sit back and forgo training. Unfortunately, our moment was cut off.

"Itachi!" a man came in through the fence gate. He was wearing a high-collared shirt, pretty much a guarantee of being an Uchiha. He had dark-colored hair, and he seemed out of breath. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"What is it?" Itachi asked. The man came towards us, seemingly ignoring both Shisui and I, his attention focused solely on Itachi.

"It's your mother," the man wheezed. "The baby is coming! She's currently in the hospital!"

Itachi widened his eyes and looked at us, expressing his disbelief and surprise. I was still surprised myself. Our timing couldn't be more impeccable. It was Shisui who finally broke our staring session, a huge grin on his face.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Shisui stood up, hands on his hips. "Don't you want to be one of the first people to greet your brother into the world?"

Face filling with resolve, Itachi stood up and gave both of us a small nod. "Thank you," he said. Without another word, he followed the man, leaving the both of us on our own.

"You think he'll be fine?" I looked at Shisui.

"What?" Shisui scoffed. "It's Itachi. I'd be surprised if he's anything other than fine. Maybe a little happier, preferably. Can't wait to see his baby brother, though."

"Want to continue practicing?" I asked Shisui. He mulled about it for less than ten seconds before delivering an answer.

"Nah!" he grinned. "Let's get some ramen! I hear old man Ichiraku has a special discount for two today!"

I turned to a crouch from a sitting position and hopped to a standing one, dusting myself off any dust and dirt. "Race you to the place?" I challenged.

"Please," Shisui grinned. "We all know who's faster here."

"Prepare to get dethroned, then!" I grinned back. "Whoever wins will pay for the ramen!"

"Deal!"

Midway there, we crashed onto a red-headed pregnant lady. Thankfully, she was fine, but to say she was furious was an understatement. After escaping from the red she-devil's grasp, neither of us remembered about the bet. We were too busy wondering just how a pregnant lady was able to keep up with us.

* * *

Itachi ran through the pristine-white corridors of the Konoha Hospital, his mind set on seeing his mother. Though worried for his mother, a sense of joy and excitement came over him. He was going to be a brother. He was both overjoyed and scared.

The sight of his father stopped him in his tracks, and Itachi walked towards the older man. He looked up. "Is mother inside?" he asked, gesturing to the operating room. Fugaku only nodded.

"Don't worry, Itachi," he said with a small smile; a rare sight for the man. "Your mother is a strong woman."

Itachi stood beside his father, staring at the operating room door. His mind went back to his conversation with Shisui and Tora. They believed that he could become a great brother. That it was because of his drive.

A part of his mind doubted that, but another part of him was happy at the encouragement. He hadn't been sure when he first met Tora. The boy was only a year older than him, but exuded the feeling of maturity that Itachi could appreciate. Not a lot of people could understand Itachi, and not a lot of people desire to understand him either. But other than Shisui, Tora was the closest to understanding him. And it all started with a single stare from the older boy; a stare filled with interest and curiosity.

Fugaku looked at his son. He never could guess what Itachi was thinking when he was contemplating things like this. He had always been proud of Itachi's maturity, but he admitted that there were times that he wished Itachi was a more open child.

"Come on," Fugaku put a hand on Itachi's shoulder. "We can wait in the waiting room. There's something I want to talk to you about as well."

Itachi only nodded before being led off by his father. As soon as they found the waiting room, they picked a vacant spot to talk. Fugaku sat down and Itachi followed suit to sit beside his father. Patiently, Itachi waited for his father to start talking.

"It's about your friend, Tora."

Itachi held himself back from tensing his body, instead staring at his father, his expression not betraying anything. "What about him, father?"

"Relax, Itachi," Fugaku crossed his arms. "From what I've seen, he's a good kid, and determined too. In fact, I would prefer if you keep this friendship going. You never know what you might get from that relationship."

Itachi understood what his father meant perfectly. The word 'you' was not referring to Itachi only. It was to refer to the entire clan. His father had something in mind for Tora for the time he was older, and Itachi was aware of the tension that had been going on for long between the Uchiha and the rest of Konoha. Perhaps Tora would be a middle-person; a close person from the outside that could be trusted. Itachi wasn't sure. But as long as the plan wasn't putting Tora in danger, Itachi did not see the problem.

"Understood, father," Itachi answered. Fugaku only nodded before standing up again. This time, Itachi looked surprised, not really knowing what to expect now that their talk was over.

"Now, then," Fugaku cracked his neck and looked at Itachi. "There's a dango stall not far from the hospital. Why don't you get some for yourself. You must be hungry after morning training." Fugaku fished out a few bills of Ryo for Itachi, which the boy took and pocketed.

"What about you, father?" Itachi asked.

"Someone has to wait for your mother," Fugaku said. "I'm not leaving her until the operation's done."

"Then I'll stay here, too," Itachi said.

"Don't be foolish," Fugaku sighed. "You haven't eaten anything today. Come back once you've filled that stomach of yours with something."

Itachi knew better than to argue with his father, and he had a point, too. Itachi was hungry. Though, today's practice had just been simple shurikenjutsu training, some other things had been occupying his mind. Shisui understood what it was when Itachi mentioned his Sharingan. Tora didn't. He hadn't seen death, only the aftereffects. Tora only knew a life without a father, but not the sensation of seeing death itself. He wouldn't understand, at least not yet.

 _Birth, death, birth, death, birth, death, and so on, and so on… People are born, and then die, often times, by the hands of others. Why do people try to live, when they're going to die anyway? This vicious cycle that grips the village, no matter how people butter it up, has been a norm for decades. What drives people? What drives people to kill not for themselves, but for their village, dying fruitlessly in the process, not really knowing why was it that they killed and were slain?_

Arriving in front of the vendor, Itachi ordered few dangos. It didn't take long for him to receive his order. Paying the man and finding a secluded spot to eat, Itachi watched as kids his age came and went, playing games he never found particularly interesting.

 _Tora and Shisui never do see the point of those games either,_ Itachi thought. When Tora started training with them, Itachi was curious what drove the older kid. In a way, it was selfless and selfish at the same time. Itachi could see it in Tora's eyes. Tora would never put the village's wellbeing above his mother's, but his mother was his priority, not himself. He did not want to be a ninja because it was 'cool'. Tora thought it as a necessity.

 _What do I think of becoming a ninja?_ Itachi asked himself. From early on, his father had trained him in the arts of combat, conditioning Itachi to be the perfect heir, and Itachi himself trained endlessly for it. But why?

 _Why should I fight?_ Itachi thought. He had asked this question to himself a hundred times, and yet, no answer came to his mind. Before he knew it, he had eaten all his dangos, and a few hours had passed with him just thinking. _I should get back to the hospital._

For now, he banished the thoughts from his mind. And while he was sure that those questions would plague him soon, today was the day he was going to greet his new sibling into the world.

* * *

 _My head shook and felt like it was ringing. I put a hand on it in an attempt to dissuade it, to no avail. It was then that I realized that almost everything shook around me. I tried to focus my eyes, only to see blurs everywhere. I realized I was lying down on the ground and tried to sit up, only to see a human-shaped blur in front of me. The only thing I could make out was a smudge of blue on top of where its head is supposed to be._

 _The individual said something to me, but I could not make sense of it. Another set of shakings and ringing came from the side. Was it an explosion? I couldn't tell. The individual gripped my shoulder and pulled me to its side._

 _"Tora!" it called. "Can yo- hear –e?" it said. I could finally make out the words it was saying. The voice was female, and was filled with extreme urgency. Just what was happening around me?_

 _"Get up!" the voice called. The voice finally became clear, and I recognized the female. "The rear is in danger, and we're the closest ones to them!" she said._

 _"What happened?" I gasped. She pulled me up and I leaned on her, my legs still shaky from whatever it was that I did. My vision went back to normal. Everything still seemed a little too bright, though. Looking around, I could see the grounds that were leveled. Something huge struck it or something really strong._

 _"You did well," the female said. "The Zetsus in the area are gone, but we should be moving. Can you stand on your own?"_

 _"I'll manage," I winced, putting both my hand on her shoulder to stabilize myself before letting go. I stood shakily, focusing on not falling off. I felt something pressed against my hands. The female's hands were in mine, and I could feel something between our palms. It felt like pills._

 _"Take these," she said. "You need it." She shoved the chakra pills to me. I did not argue with her, and immediately chewed on the bitter concoction._

 _"Thanks, Kona-_

* * *

I woke up with a gasp. Another dream that I couldn't remember. Sitting up, I rubbed a hand down my neck. It was covered in sweat. Taking the drenched shirt off, I searched for another in my drawers. Putting on a fresh set, I made my way to the kitchen. A glass of water would help me calm down.

It was close to two in the morning. Mom was asleep, as seen by her closed bedroom. Practically the only time she ever closed it. I filled a glass and drank from it until the last drop. I knew that I should, but I didn't feel the need to sleep anymore. The hole left by the dreams gnawed at me, despite having no memories of them. And though I had them often, they didn't feel that important. That, it wouldn't really matter if I knew. But still, the feeling was there.

Looking out the window, I realized it was a full moon. Its light shined down towards the earth, illuminating the dark corners of the village. I was about to return to my room with my glass when I heard soft footsteps heading to my room. It was almost silent. I would've missed it if I wasn't heading there myself. Whoever it was, had been trained in stealth.

I took a few steps back and put the glass on the dining table, and then inched to the kitchen counter and took a knife. I had left my kunai and shuriken set in my room. A knife would suffice.

Inching closer, I heard footsteps from within my room. A single set. He was inspecting my room. I could take him by surprise, provided I stay silent myself. Pressing myself against the wall, I inched to my door. Standing beside the entrance, I took a quick peek. There was no one. But my bedroom window was closed. I would've heard it if it had been opened. He had hid himself.

I held the knife in my hand like I would a kunai. The grip felt alien compared to a kunai, but a weapon was a weapon. Letting my guard down would be a death sentence, but doing nothing was just as bad. If anything happened to my mom…

I didn't want to think of it. I crept in, knife ready in front of me. It was silent, not even a sign that the room had been disturbed, nor that there had been anyone in it. But I knew how ninjas operate. Shisui had covered me on it, and I took his teachings diligently.

It wasn't a perfect system. Itachi and Shisui would get private trainings from their fathers, and they would relay those teachings to me. I had to make do with whatever it was they brought to me, and they didn't mind either. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough.

I took a step, then another. A part of me was nervous, but another part of me was calm, composed. If things would turn into a fight, I was confident that I would manage. My spars with Shisui and Itachi were not for naught. At the very least, I would be able to hold the assailant back and get my mother to safety. If I were to stand a chance, I would have to reach for my weapon pouch by the bed.

It didn't take me by surprise when I felt a movement just behind me. I turned around, and caught the assailant's blade with my kitchen knife. The assailant seemed shocked, plastered in place. I took the time to examine my attacker. Surprisingly, it was a child, probably not much older than me. The child wore a porcelain mask, similar to those of Anbus, but the black cloak differentiates him from regular Anbus. The kitchen knife broke in two under the pressure of the better trained attacker, as well as the ninjato he used.

I jumped back towards the room, and immediately reached for my weapon pouch. I pulled out a pair of shurikens and threw them. My opponent swiftly avoided it and ran out the room, his cloak billowing behind him. I pulled a kunai and held it in reverse grip. I followed him, afraid for my mother.

I scanned the small corridor, and saw the cloaked child about to jump out a window by the living room. I threw my kunai, stabbing his cloak in place. He stopped in his tracks, the cloak trapping him in place. I made my way to him and he promptly uncloaked himself to get away. But he was too late, as I was on him already, a roundhouse kick about to plant itself onto the side of his head.

The child brought his right arm up, blocking my kick with his armguard. My uncovered foot stung as it hit metal. I winced but did not relent. I delivered a right hook, my body moving on its own after the many spars I did with Itachi and Shisui. With Itachi and Shisui, both being supremely talented, having your feet on the ground was a death sentence when you're in a spar with them.

The key is to watch their moves, and keep moving with them, not to wait for them. It pained me to admit it, but I knew that they were holding back for my sake. Itachi had never used his Sharingan on me, and Shisui was faster than he let on. But I was catching up, and in time, I was sure that they wouldn't need to hold back. Their slightly deeper breaths after our spars signaled as much. Sooner or later, they would need to get serious.

My opponent caught my right arm mid-punch and flipped me over him. I landed on my feet, nearly hitting the table just in time to throw my head sideways from a kick. Seeing the opening, I tried jabbing the child's side, but he redirected his kick towards me. I took the kick, seeing no way of avoiding it. Using the force of the kick, I rolled sideways further from my opponent, and promptly dashed back towards him. He certainly did not expect this move from me. It was obvious that while better trained, he did not have much more experience than your average Genin. Talent only goes a long way in front of experience, after all.

I shot a jab and another, all of which he blocked. Undeterred, I mixed my attacks with jabs and kicks. From the way he was blocking my attacks, I knew that a full frontal assault would be naught. I needed to mix things up.

A glint caught my eyes, and I ran for it, remembering the kunai I had thrown, still stuck on my opponent's coat. Pulling it free, I held my kunai in front of me and stood between him and the window. Getting a good look of my opponent, I saw that he was wearing a gear similar to that of an Anbu, but much more streamlined. It was darker, and had much less armoring.

My opponent did not pull out a weapon. It was obvious that by that point, his main priority was to escape and avoid further conflict. I ran for him, and he steeled himself, arms ready to throw me off for him to escape. It was a strategy Itachi had used on me many times. I picked up the cloak off the floor and stopped in my tracks throwing the cloak in front of me in the air before throwing a kunai to it. The clothing was propelled forward as the kunai I threw drove it forward. Its blunt tip prevented it from piercing through. It was enough to create a blind spot.

I prepared two pair of shurikens as the kunai and the cloak lodged themselves onto the wall beside my opponent. He had his weapon ready and in a blocking position, but I threw all two pairs at him, regardless. The distraction intended to make him on guard worked. He was ready to block, and would have succeeded were it not for the two pairs of shurikens to clash onto each other and bounded sideways, harmlessly off his trail. He glanced at the weapons in confusion, and it was enough of a distraction for me, even if it was just half a second. Before he knew it, I was in front of him. I threw a punch to his masked face, making it crack a bit, and he bounded back from the force. Taking his ninjato from his hands, I kicked him in the gut and promptly brought the ninjato down. But quick as light, he blocked it with his metal armguard. Both metals shrieked as the grinded off each other.

I could not see his eyes, but I was sure it was similar to mine; narrowed in strain. He pushed my attack away, and pulled my kunai off the wall. He rushed forward in an attempt to slash at me, but I blocked it with the ninjato. The bigger weapon felt strange, but welcome in my hands. I avoided his slashes, some of them almost nicking my eyes. After the sixth slash, however, his movements slowed down a bit, and I spun sideways along with my newly acquired weapon, aiming it at my opponent's arm. The sound of metal slicing through skin reached my ears.

I could see it. A long line of blood marked the child's right arm, starting his shoulder to his hind bicep. It was sure to leave a scar. He clutched his bleeding arm in pain, but did not let out a scream. Trained to do so, I guessed. I panted, but prepared myself for another attack from the child. None came.

He looked at me before pulling something from his pouch and throwing it down. Smoke covered my vision in a second, and I coughed profusely, my eyes blinded as well. When the smoke dissipated, the boy was gone. I looked back to the wall and saw that he had taken his cloak with him, most likely as a makeshift bandage. The only evidences that he was here were the open window, and the bloody ninjato in my hands.

* * *

I kept the ninjato in my room and tidied the mess that had happened early that morning. Thankfully, not a long of things were touched in the fight. I only had to explain the broken knife to my mom, saying that I had tried using it as if it was a kunai for midnight training. She wasn't happy, but let the matter go quick enough.

I couldn't help but think about the fight. My opponent was clearly young, just a year or two older than me. The mask was clearly a sign of an Anbu, but I had never seen children as part of the Anbu. Not that I had seen a lot of the Anbus. They had clearly lived up true to their reputation and stayed out of sight. Were it not for my constant adventuring with Shisui over the past months, I would've never seen an Anbu before.

Regardless, the child I fought was unlike the Anbus I had seen. He was too young, and felt like he was still in training. Anbus don't take inexperienced children and train them. That's what the academy and the Jonin team system was for.

One thing was clear, though. I had marked the child. Whoever sent the child would see that wound, and a few things could happen. Either they stay away, or gain even more interest in me, for whatever reason I could not fathom.

I sat on my bed and examined the short ninjato within my hands. Thankfully, the boy had dropped the sheath strapped around his back when I was punching him. That eliminated the need for me to look for another sheath. Still, it was a simple weapon and certainly nothing special either. But considering what I had, it was a full step onward. If I train with it, look for a bit of guidance, I could become better.

Hopefully, much better. It would not do for me to fall behind on Itachi and Shisui more than I have until now. I sheathed the blade and put it under my bed. For now, it was the best place I could think of to hide it. If mom found the weapon, she would think I stole it or something, which I totally had, to be honest. Still, it would be much nicer if she didn't think so.

"Tora!" mom called out from the front door.

"Yeah?" I got out of my room to head to the front. I was greeted by a smiling Shisui, waving his hand in greeting.

"Hey, Tora!" he called. "How about coming to my house?"

Shisui did mention about meeting his father. I had no notion of refusing the offer. Talking about last night's events with Shisui would probably help me sort out things, too.

"That'd be great!" I answered.

* * *

 **FYI, the Root Anbu that attacked Tora was not just a random throwaway character, nor an OC. Put two and two together and think. Who was it that was just a few years older than Itachi, and was a member of Root when they were a child? A shoutout to whoever got the answer.**

 **Anyway, expect the next updates to have similar wait time as this one. College has been busy and probably will be for an indefinite time. And I aim for almost all chapters to have around six thousand to seven thousand words on average.**

 **As always, leave a review. And don't forget to follow and favorite in order to stay tuned.**


	4. Chapter 4: Do You Dream?

**The Road of Life**

 **Something I want to say before we start. I just want to get this across just in case you guys start lifting pitchforks later on.** _ **Some events in the timeline will happen at a different time.**_ **Although, I can safely say that most of these events are events that has no specified time or date. So, something major like the Kyubi Attack will still happen on October 10** **th** **, but other events that has no set date may happen earlier or even later than they're supposed to in canon.**

 **And some older readers may notice that I added another character into the tagged roster. These four are the main characters, and this is their story, not just Tora's.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all of its characters.**

* * *

"So you're Tora, huh?"

I couldn't help but sit up straight in front of Shisui's father. A part of me just yearned to impress the guy, and seeing how he acted to me, I wasn't surprised that I wanted to. His face was all smiles, which made it pretty obvious where Shisui got his bright personality from. He looked a lot like Shisui as well, except more like a grown up version with shorter hair.

"Uh, yeah, Uchiha-san. I'm Tora," I answered.

Shisui's father scoffed. "Uchiha-san is dear old Fugaku, kid. Just call me by my name," he said.

"Okay, Seiji-san," I answered. Shisui had filled me in on things about his father. His name, what he does for a living, as well as some other stuff. To be honest, I had been a bit skeptical about this visit. Itachi's father regarded me with mostly indifference, and I wasn't expecting to be accepted wholeheartedly like this. It felt nice.

Both of us sat on the tatami floor, a glass of hot tea in front of each us. Shisui had left the two of us on our own, saying that he needed to take care of something in his room.

"So, I heard that you've been training with both Shisui and Itachi, right?" he asked. I only nodded as an answer. "Well, color me impressed, kid."

"I'm sorry?"

Shisui's father let out a laugh. "I may not be as hard on Shisui as Itachi's father is, but I'm not very lax either when it comes to training. There's so little chance for me to train with Shisui for the last few months that I taught him a lot of things at once. Things that he seemed to have passed on to you," he said.

"Ah, I hope you don't mind, Seiji-san," I said.

"Don't sweat it," Shisui's father dismissed. "In fact, I'm kinda glad. Shisui doesn't really enjoy the company of kids your age. Well, most kids, anyway. If you don't mind me asking, are your parents shinobi?"

I shook my head. "Mom is a baker. She owns a small bakery just outside the compound. And my dad… Well, he died during the war before I was born. A mission gone wrong, so I've heard," I said.

"Not an uncommon fate, especially in this time of war," Shisui's father nodded. "But the war is basically over now, and a new Hokage has been appointed."

"Will that change anything?" I asked. "It would be pretty much the same as it was before the war."

Shisui's father shrugged. "True, but a cold tension is better than an all-out war," he said. "You seem like a smart kid, seeing as you've pretty much absorbed most of the training I gave Shisui through him. Tell me, do you have a dream? Anything you strive for?"

I stilled. A dream? After months of training, I never actually thought of that. My only reason for going through training was to make money in order to meet ends for my mom.

"Well, I started training because I heard that a ninja's pay is quite good, and my mom could certainly use the money," I said, folding my hands on my lap.

"But money's a mean to an end," Shisui's father cut in. "What is your end?"

I looked at my tea, steam rising from its surface. I could feel the heat as steam passed by my face. I picked up my tea and took a sip. "I… I don't know, to be honest."

Shisui's father chuckled. "Well, I'd be more surprised if you do already have one," he said. "A dream isn't exactly something you decide lightheartedly. You gotta put all your thought into it."

"If you don't mind me asking, what was your dream?" I asked.

"I dreamed of travelling the world," Shisui's father smiled.

"Travelling the world?" I asked, a little confused at what he meant.

"You heard right," he grinned. "Travelling the world. And thankfully, as a ninja, I always get sent to a lot of interesting places. Not all of them pleasant, but they're all certainly different. You can always find something to appreciate in the simplest places."

I blinked. "But wouldn't other professions, like a merchant, would suffice? Or a traveler, or maybe even a travelling bard?" I asked.

"Oh, believe me! I've entertained the notion quite a lot in my younger days!" he laughed. "But with clan obligations, as well as the unfortunate timing, I just have to make due. And hey, it's not all bad. Being a ninja isn't rescuing princesses from castles or whatnot, but it is certainly exciting."

"You're quite positive, Seiji-san," I said.

"Someone's gotta be in this brooding clan," he laughed. "Like I said. Being a ninja is simply a mean for me to achieve my ends. People would always say that you should reach as high as you can, but honestly? As long as you know what you want, and stop at nothing to achieve it, that's more than enough to be a dream."

I was about to say something back when Shisui entered the room, a small smile on his face. The guy was all smiles anyway, which didn't make much of a difference than his usual persona.

"Dad!" Shisui called. "You're going to bore him with your _dream_ speech!"

"Hmph! It may bore you," Seiji pointed at his son. "But Tora needs to hear this! Clan loyalty isn't everything. Sometimes, you just gotta live for yourself!"

"Um, I don't belong to a clan," I said, which pretty much went ignored.

"Speaking about you," Shisui turned to me, shuffling closer. "When's your birthday?" he said with a mischievous grin. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit uncomfortable.

"My birthday?" I asked. "Why the sudden interest?"

"I've known you for months," Shisui huffed. "And yet, I don't even know your birthday! We should celebrate it, just you, me, and Itachi!"

"Shisui's been wondering about that for a while, you know," Shisui's father said. "It's not every day that a kid from outside the clan approaches our children. Some people within the clan have even heard about you, Tora."

"Is it really that unusual?" I asked.

Shisui's father sighed. "Seems to be the case for as far as I could remember. Maybe it's our unapproachable nature that makes people revere us from a distance. I could say the same for the Hyugas, to be honest."

"You haven't answered me," Shisui nudged me.

"Geez, fine!" I relented. "It's October 10th."

"That's just two months away," Shisui smiled.

"And what if it is?"

* * *

Seiji Uchiha watched with a small smile as his son excitedly cornered Tora. The boy had a good head on his shoulders. Crossing his arms, Seiji knew that despite Shisui's cheerful demeanor, the boy could never really connect with other kids. Socialize, yes. Truly connect? This was the first since Itachi.

Still, Seiji was a bit worried for Tora. With his growing presence within the clan, Fugaku, the clan head might be planning to use the child for some sort of purpose. He hoped that those purposes would be harmless ones, like an ambassador or something similar. But knowing the animosity that plagued his clan, Seiji could imagine other roles.

But that was a matter for another time. When was it that Shisui could just sit back and be a child? He could not think of a lot of moments. Time and again, he would find his son hard at training, exercising whatever he had taught the boy during his free time. He could blame his job, but that was unfair. Many fathers and mothers were experiencing the same dilemma as him, and his lack of time with his son wasn't something exclusive to him. Something Shisui understood well. They had talked about it some time ago, and the single father had been glad at the boy's maturity.

"Hey dad!"

"Hm?" Seiji answered his son.

"We're going outside for a while! See ya!" Shisui said, not waiting a moment before bolting out the room.

Seiji could only smile at his son. Sometimes, between all the training and teachings, he forgot that his son wasn't even past six years old. "Don't get into trouble, hear me?"

"Yeah, sure," came the noncommittal answer. Tora only chuckled before following Shisui out. Sometimes, Seiji missed being so young and carefree.

* * *

I vaulted over a fence and picked up my pace, ignoring the annoyed yells that ran past me. Seeing a sign on the wall, I planted my feet on the wall and quickened myself to run across it for a second. I pushed my feet off and grabbed onto the sign, before jumping backwards towards a street lamp. I scanned the area for Shisui, and found him jumping from sign to sign and grabbing a hanging pot as a makeshift swing. I followed him and jumped across, grabbing onto a window sill and jumped sideways, grabbing the same pot to swing myself towards Shisui. I was now right behind him.

"What got you so excited today?" I asked him, jumping from wall to wall and grabbing onto the edge of a roof. Pulling myself up, I saw Shisui standing on top, waiting for me.

"No reason," he answered.

"Oh, come on!" I groaned. "You're being weird today."

Shisui smiled before hopping onto a pole and prompting me to follow. I let out a sigh and did as prompted. Sometimes, I just wondered what running would feel like without chakra. Everything physical seemed so easy now, that the feeling of living without chakra felt so abnormal. I didn't remember much of my previous life, which was next to nothing, but I was pretty sure that five year olds jumping and vaulting over obstacles weren't normal back there. Months of running laps around the village didn't hurt my chances either.

I wordlessly followed Shisui until I noticed that we were going further away from the compound. Landing on a roof, stopped to see where Shisui was going. Not looking back, he kept running forward, seemingly not minding that I stopped for a moment. He jumped off the roof, but not a moment too soon, I saw him climbing the railings of the staircase to the top of the Hokage monument. It seemed in my musings, I hadn't noticed how far we had gotten.

I ran forward to follow him, and when I finally reached him, he was sitting on top of the newly built statue of the Fourth Hokage. "You hang out here often?" I asked.

Shisui looked down at the village, legs crossed and hands prepped on his knees. "Not really. I've only been here recently, actually," he answered.

"It's a nice place."

"It is."

I sat down beside him and leaned back on my arms. "So, are you gonna tell me why you asked me about my birthday?"

"I saw something in the market the other day that I think you'd like. In fact, it would be perfect for a present," Shisui said. "I figured that giving it on your birthday would be the perfect event."

"You didn't have to get that excited you know," I chuckled.

"I want it to go right," he looked at me. No jokes, no chuckles. He was serious about this.

I had never gotten other kids involved in my birthday. It would usually be mom and I, for the last few years. And even then, there weren't even any cake involved. Mom would cook a variety of dishes, all of them to my liking. I knew this because there weren't any chickens in any of mom's cooking during my birthdays. I had never gotten a real present either. I always felt that mom's cooking had always been enough. But if Shisui went through with this, it would be my first birthday present in this life.

"So what is it?" I asked.

"Ssshhhh!" Shisui answered, holding a finger in front of his lips. "It wouldn't be much of a surprise, would it?"

"Not even a sneak peek?"

"Nah," Shisui shook his head. "I want it to be a surprise."

I huffed. "Fine, have it your way," I stood up, noticing that the sun was nearly on top of us. "Hey," I called Shisui.

"Hm?"

"Wanna do some sparring? It would be different without Itachi, but we can eat some lunch and then go see Itachi's new brother," I suggested.

"Yeah. I would prefer our usual three-way sparring, but I guess we'll have to make do," Shisui said.

"Speaking of sparring," I said. "It seemed our audience from yesterday decided to pay me a visit last night?"

Shisui blinked. "What did you do?" he asked.

"Gave him a new scar."

"I'm guessing we won't be disturbed anymore?" Shisui asked. "Oh, wait. There are bound to still be Anbus patrolling the village."

"I say let them watch. They report only to the Hokage, after all," I said. "I see no harm in that. Still, Itachi may have the status of clan heir, but we don't have that luxury. We ought to watch our backs, even at home."

The nonchalance at which we discussed the maiming of a certain individual would have disturbed me a long time ago, but this kind of discussion was kind of expected nowadays. There weren't much that we talked about that goes outside the topic of combat. It was kind of a given.

Shisui scratched his bushy hair and stood up, looking down the statue. "Well, whatever happens, I want to spar for a little. Race you to the bottom?" he hadn't even finished asking when he whisked out a kunai and jumped off the statue and planted a kunai into the Fourth Hokage's face to slow his descent. I sighed and followed Shisui, not particularly caring that we were currently defacing a national monument.

* * *

Itachi sat down at the porch of his house as he stared at his newly born brother, Sasuke. The baby was playing with Itachi's fingers, and Itachi could only smile at the gesture. Seeing his brother's curiosity, Itachi just knew that Sasuke would grow up to be a very knowledgeable man.

The baby boy lost interest in Itachi's fingers and proceeded to just lie down on his lap. It seemed that Sasuke had gotten tired. Itachi picked Sasuke up, putting his hands under Sasuke's armpits.

"Are you tired?" Itachi asked quietly. Sasuke answered with a cute yawn. Putting the baby against him and giving small pats on the back, Itachi stood up and brought Sasuke to his crib, which was in Itachi's room. Sasuke was fond of Itachi, which was clear from the day of his birth. Sasuke only seemed fully comfortable in Itachi's arms, or their mother's.

Putting Sasuke down, Itachi watched as Sasuke descended into a state of slumber. He was only ten days old, after all. Watching Sasuke, Itachi was reminded of the dilemma that plagued him just a little more than a week before.

 _Birth, death, birth, death_

Even after his brother's birth, the questions still plagued him, but taking care of Sasuke was his top priority. He hadn't had much time to mull over his question. Itachi touched a finger onto Sasuke's soft cheeks. It was so warm. A contrast to that time when Itachi first touched a dead body, his first kill. The time he unlocked his Sharingan.

Sasuke was bound to die sometime in the future, as was the fate of all living beings in this world. So why was he so passionate about Sasuke's wellbeing? It baffled Itachi. It was natural for a living being to prioritize survival, and yet, Itachi felt that he would give up anything for Sasuke. What brought this seemingly unnatural train of thought? He called it unnatural, and yet, Itachi felt that it was meant to be.

Itachi left the crib's side and went out of his room. He left the sliding door open, just in case Sasuke needed him. He walked over to the kitchen, finding the empty pantry. Usually, his mother would be there, cooking one of her delicious delicacies. But today, she had some business to do, and father was working as usual. Itachi pulled up a chair over the pantry and prepared lunch for both him and Sasuke. For him, some simple eggs over rice and some milk for Sasuke.

During the time after Sasuke was born, Tora and Shisui had only visited once. Both covered in sweat, leaving Itachi to guess that they had been sparring before going to his house. Father hadn't appreciated the smell, but mother only chuckled and gave them a pair of towels to dry themselves with.

When they first laid eyes on Sasuke, Itachi felt an odd sensation went through him. It felt like anticipation. It felt silly, for him to care what they thought of Sasuke. His baby brother needed no approval from anyone, but the thought of Tora and Shisui thinking otherwise brought a sinking feeling within him. Like he said, it was silly. Sasuke was just a baby, not old enough for anyone to form an opinion on.

Thankfully, they warmed up to his brother quite fast, Shisui even more so than Tora. Sasuke seemed to have taken a liking to Shisui. It took a while before Sasuke would stop squirming from Tora's hold. Instead, Sasuke only stayed silent and (cutely) glared at Tora, much to the older boy's chagrin. Sasuke didn't seem to like being held by Tora, but it was a start. They didn't talk about a lot of things, as the norm. The three of them had always talked over training, while the down times were used for enjoying the quiet and taking a rest.

So it wasn't long before Tora talked about his encounter the other night. Itachi was sure that had Tora fought against a more experienced ninja, he would be killed. Thankfully, his opponent was one very early in training, if Tora's descriptions were anything to go by. Still, Tora himself had probably painted a huge red target on his own head. Itachi wondered just what would become of his friend, for better or worse.

Itachi knew that he was protected because of his status as the clan heir, and if Shisui proved himself to be even more capable in the future, he would get the recognition of the elders, thus securing him as a precious asset of the clan.

But Tora had no one to protect him. Itachi had never seen or heard Anbus as described by Tora, but he was sure that they weren't normal Anbus. Especially since the one Tora fought wasn't even much older than they were. Anbus generally accepts ninjas of Chunin or Jonin rank. Age and rank don't matter that much, since in theory, even a Genin could pass for an Anbu, but that was unheard of and very improbable, since anyone with skills fit for an Anbu would usually already be a Chunin.

Tora insisted that Itachi didn't worry, that he would face it when the time comes. Itachi wasn't sure just where he got the confidence to say that, but Tora had never led Itachi astray before. The older child always seemed to feel knowledgeable, like a teenager, or maybe someone older. One could probably say the same about Itachi, but Itachi felt differently than his older friend. Itachi knew that he had been called older than his years, like he was mentally advanced. But Tora didn't feel like he exudes the same kind of mental advancement. He felt grounded. Itachi could've sworn that talking to Tora was like talking to an older brother, not that he really knew how it feels.

Breaking out of his thoughts, Itachi prepared Sasuke's milk, the alternative if his mother were to be absent. It wasn't that hard to prepare, even more so for Itachi. It was like a jutsu. Memorize, practice, balance the ingredients, and repeat. By the first week, the act of preparing Sasuke's milk was near automatic for Itachi. He didn't even need to put much thought into preparing one. Satisfied, Itachi shook the bottle and put it on the counter to cool off. Moving on to his meal, he pulled out a bowl, some rice, and simply cracked an egg over it, before stirring the rice with a pair of chopsticks, mixing the eggs together with it.

It wasn't long into his meal before he heard a noise from his room. Sasuke was getting hungry. The cries of the infant rang down the hallway, but Itachi was prepared with the lukewarm bottle of milk like the dutiful brother he was. He entered the room and delivered Sasuke his bottle. Sasuke greedily sucked on the bottle, his mouth latching on like a leech on a skin.

"Slow down, Sasuke," Itachi said. He held Sasuke up and carried him to the front porch, feeling that a bit of sun would do Sasuke some good. As he sat, Itachi watched Sasuke gulped down his meal. The infant let out a small burp as he let go of the bottle, signifying that he was full. Itachi smiled and took the bottle away from Sasuke. It wasn't long before he fell back into slumber.

Staring at Sasuke, Itachi activated his Sharingan. Itachi couldn't see it, but he could feel his pupils changing from its usual onyx. He could also feel the one tomoe on his eyes swirling as he stared at Sasuke. Itachi took in every vivid detail, every curve, even the pores of Sasuke's features. The Sharingan, even in its lowest stage, granted Itachi the ability to do so.

"You'll grow up to be a fine man, Sasuke. I just know it," Itachi rubbed Sasuke's head. The infant leaned into his touch as he slept. Itachi smiled at the gesture and deactivated his Sharingan. It wasn't long after Sasuke went to sleep in his arms that Itachi saw his mother coming down the road to their house alongside someone familiar. As they got closer, Itachi stood up with Sasuke in arms, to greet said person.

"Kushina-san," Itachi greeted.

"Itachi!" Kushina replied. "You look healthy! I trust that your little brother hasn't been much of a trouble, has he?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. I kind of like taking care of him, to be honest."

"What a very Itachi thing to say," Kushina chuckled.

"Itachi," his mother called.

"Yes?"

"Can you prepare some tea? I have something to talk to with Kushina-san," she said. Itachi nodded and went to his room to put Sasuke back in his crib. After that, he immediately went to the kitchen to prepare some tea.

* * *

"How many months is it now?" Mikoto asked. Both of them sat down on the tatami floor, a table between the two of them.

"Around eight," Kushina rubbed her swelling belly affectionally. "He's an energetic one, always kicking."

Mikoto laughed. "Sasuke was like that as well," she said. "Childbirth is a hard labor, but everything's worth it in the end. Trust me. I've had two."

"Birthing, huh?"Kushina mused. The two women knew of the thing sealed within the Uzumaki. It was a secret shared only among a handful of people from the village, as well as select clan heads. The Uchiha was one of them. Mikoto knew that the seal would weaken during childbirth, and she couldn't help but worry. But she trusted the Fourth Hokage, Minato. He had always put up with Kushina since their academy days, and Mikoto couldn't imagine a better man to be Kushina's partner.

"Giving birth hurts like a bitch, you know. You sure you're prepared for it?" Mikoto chuckled, steering the subject away from the demon within Kushina.

"Oh, god," Kushina hissed. "Don't say that! And just when I had prepared myself for it. He could come out any day now!"

"Oh? Have I found the one thing the Red Hot Habanero fears?" Mikoto joked.

"Do people still call me that?" Kushina groaned.

"I believe that the nickname has even spread out to other villages, concerning your track record and performance," Mikoto laughed.

"My record, huh? I kinda miss active duty," Kushina leaned on the table, remembering some of her missions.

"Trust me," Mikoto said. "Taking care of a baby is hard work itself. Thankfully, I have Itachi to help me most of the day."

"Until he enters the academy."

"Yes…" Mikoto sighed.

As if signaled, Itachi entered the room holding a tray with two glass of tea on it. He put one in front of Kushina and Mikoto. "Here is your tea," he said.

"Thank you, Itachi," Mikoto said, before Itachi wordlessly went out of the room.

"He's such a quiet kid," Kushina broke the silence.

"He is isn't he?" Mikoto said. "Still, I'm glad he has been making some friends."

"Oh? Do tell," Kushina leaned forward, interested in the subject.

"He has been getting closer to one of his distant cousins, as well as a child from outside the clan. He lives just outside the compound,"

"Knowing Itachi, I bet he's not a fan of kids' games."

"And it seemed his friends are of the same mind," Mikoto chuckled. "All they do is train together. Though I'm just glad he's socializing."

"Speaking of socializing, how about scheduling some playtime together between Sasuke and Naruto, hm?" Kushina asked.

"You're naming your child Naruto? Figures," Mikoto shrugged helplessly.

"Oi!" Kushina spoke out. "Ramen isn't the only thing in my mind y'know!"

"Really? What's the other name you prepared before settling for Naruto?" Mikoto challenged.

Kushina sat back, a blush creeping up her face, painting an old yet familiar sight from their childhood. The Uzumaki did indeed look like a flaming tomato when flushed, especially with her round face. "M-Menma," Kushina admitted.

Mikoto smiled. "Told ya," she said, to which Kushina only grumbled as a response.

* * *

A masked figure hunched on a tree branch, looking at the village he had once called home. The masked teenager narrowed his lone eye, his Sharingan taking in the familiar training ground he and his team had occupied many times. A young silver-haired teenager was standing in front of a memorial stone, but the masked teen was too far away to hear anything of substance.

He would make his plan work, for the sake of a world without suffering and lies. He would. He must. If his network of Zetsus were correct, then Uzumaki Kushina was indeed a Jinchuuriki and pregnant. Months of waiting for the baby to mature, and the day the seal weaken would arrive.

It was now eight months into pregnancy. His day would come soon.

* * *

 **So, y'all have been introduced to the fourth main character! That's right! Kushina Uzumaki, people! I have some big plans for her. We're about three-fourth into the prologue, and after that, the real story may finally commence.**

 **Also, a shoutout to** _ **KassieJean**_ **and** _ **shis23**_ **for getting the correct answer. The young ROOT ninja is indeed Kabuto, and we'll be seeing more of him after the prologue arc is over.**

 **As always, leave a review if you want to ask something or just voice your opinion about the story. And don't forget to follow and favorite on your way out. See ya on the next update!**


	5. Chapter 5: Should've Seen It Coming

**The Road of Life**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all its characters. I'm just playing around with them.**

 **Hey-ho! Another update! The main story will be starting soon! So hang tight! Also, this may seem weird… But I based Tora's appearance (at least for the face) off Kazuma from Konosuba… I think it's appropriate that I base a reincarnate with another reincarnate…**

* * *

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, sighed as he stared at the Hokage Monument from the roof of the Hokage Tower, or more specifically, his monument, which had a chunk of its right cheek crumbled off. Thankfully, no one had been under the monument at the time. He looked to his side, where there sat two young boys, avoiding his gaze. The bushy haired one had an Uchiha symbol on the back of his shirt, while the other boy was dressed plainly. His brown hair and green eyes were downright plain, if Minato were to be honest.

"So," Minato started. "Who did it?"

The two Chunins guarding the two boys kept their eyes on them, wary of the fact that these very two boys had given the Chunins more trouble than they should've. It wasn't exactly something to be prideful about that a pair of five year olds almost eluded a group of experienced ninjas.

 _So these are the two children that Hiruzen-sama took note of,_ Minato thought as he looked at the children. They looked calm. Almost too calm for someone that was due for a punishment. Minato had ordered some of his guards to notify their families, and it wouldn't take much longer for the message to arrive.

"Who did it?" Minato asked again, this time crouching down to their level. "If you tell me who did it, we can keep this short, and your parents can take you both back home."

"Does it matter?" the bushy haired boy spoke up. Shisui, if Minato remembered correctly. "It's not like either of us is gonna escape punishment."

"You're right," Minato said. "But I still want to know, for future references."

Minato could already see the other boy, Tora, narrowing his eyes. He knew that Minato had marked the both of them as troublemakers, and would probably assign academy instructors to watch their behaviors in the academy. _They have the smarts. Just have to work on their sass,_ he thought.

"Neither of us remembers," Tora answered. Minato looked at him in interest; taking the kunai they had been using the slide down the statue. He took a look at it. The tip was a bit blunt from use.

"Neither of you?"

Tora huffed. "We've been doing a competition on who could slide down faster for the past few days," he said.

"And I'm sure that part of the statue couldn't hold the constant abuse," Minato mused, a small hint of amusement in his voice.

"Weak-ass statues," Tora grumbled under his breath. Though given the presence of Chunins on the roof, it didn't exactly go unheard.

"Hey!" hollered one of the Chunins. "Show some respect in front of Hokage-sama!" Minato held up a hand to silence the Chunin.

"It's fine," Minato said. "This was just a little accident while training, right?" he asked with a small smile. It didn't look very warm, but it wasn't menacing either. It was a smile specifically used for scolding a child.

Tora and Shisui nodded at the Hokage's statement, not really wanting to get into more trouble. "So you two would be fine on helping the reconstruction, right?" Minato asked.

Shisui and Tora groaned. Minato smiled and patted both of their heads. "Don't worry. I'll have one of my trusted men to look after you. He has just returned from a mission and may need something to distract him. Besides, you may learn some cool things from him before even going to the academy. How's that sound?"

Both children didn't show their enthusiasm outwardly, but even Minato could feel the energy radiating from them at the mention of learning new things. "What will we be doing?" Shisui asked.

"Just some odd work to help around. Maybe bring in some materials, help prepare the rations, who knows?" Minato shrugged in a casual way that seemed very un-Hokage-like. And frankly, Minato did not care much for his appearance when talking to a bunch of children.

"Hokage-sama. What about our parents?" Tora questioned.

Minato smiled. "Don't worry," he assured. "I've sent out a few Chunins to inform both of your parents. They should already be waiting for you back home."

"I… don't see why we shouldn't worry," Shisui deadpanned.

"You'll be fine," Minato smiled. "I expect you boys helping with the monument at ten in the morning. Don't be late!"

* * *

"Well, yesterday went better than expected," Shisui grinned.

I looked at him, perplexed at his joy. "It's only because your dad was there to dissuade my mom. Who knows what'd happen to me," I said.

"Still, what a slave driver," Shisui mused. "You think the Hokage is just as harsh with his students?"

"How the hell should I now? I just want to get this over with."

"We do kind of deserve this," Shisui chuckled. I pocketed my hands and breathed out a long sigh. Both of us walked towards the direction of the monument. I stretched my neck, satisfied at the small pop that came from it. We would've just bailed out of the punishment, but we knew that it would just bring my mom's ire. And I don't trust Shisui's dad to bail us out a second time. Even he had his limits on the shenanigans we do.

"Who do you think we'll meet?" Shisui asked me.

"I don't know. The Fourth said that it would be one of his trusted men?" I asked back. Shisui nodded.

"Not a lot of men that I could think of. Certainly not an Uchiha, though. I only remember Hokage-sama conversing with Fugaku-san and no one else," Shisui said, crossing his arms behind his head.

It was a quiet affair, walking through the village, that is. Shisui and I rarely travel through the village using normal means. It was always running and jumping for us, at least when we're not with Itachi. Then again, we never really venture far from the compound when we're with Itachi.

It wasn't long before we arrived at the base of the monument. Just before climbing up the stairs to the top, both of us sensed a presence close to us. It was obvious that the newcomer wasn't even hiding his presence, because as we turned around, we found ourselves staring at a silver haired teenager.

He was wearing a dark-colored mask, hiding most of his face. His forehead protector was slanted to hide his left eye. His outfit seemed casual, yet practical. A simple black and grey shirt as well as a pair of trousers and the customary ninja sandals, as well as a pair of dark fingerless gloves. A ninjato was strapped on his back, but I was sure that he had a variety of other weapons stashed away somewhere. He looked to be around twelve or thirteen years old, and yet his eyes seemed much older.

"So you're the brats I'm supposed to babysit today, huh?" the teenager drawled. Shisui and I looked at each other, unsure of what to do in front of the ninja. "Sensei must be crazy if he thinks this will help me relax," he continued, grumbling under his breath.

"Who are you?" I asked with little certainty. "Hokage-sama said that one of his men would meet us here to oversee us," I said. I made myself seem polite, just in case.

"Sensei did, didn't he?" the teenager sighed.

Both of us nodded. The fact that the young teenager staring down at us called the Hokage sensei signified their close relationship. Shisui looked at me, apparently wondering the same thing I did. Could we get a few useful things out of the irritable teen?

"Come along, then," the teen sighed before pulling out a small orange book from his hind pack. I couldn't read the cover, as the silver-haired ninja walked past us without even missing a beat. Not seeing any other option, Shisui and I followed him to the top of the Hokage monument. The climb up the stairs was silent, the three of us not uttering a single word.

"Um, excuse me," I called out. The teenager turned around to face us as we neared the top. "Who are you?" I asked again.

"Do we really need to introduce ourselves?" he groaned. "I'm just supposed to look after you kids for today."

"Would that be so bad?" Shisui asked, raising an eyebrow. "A little familiarity wouldn't hurt anyone. And besides," he grinned. "You may just meet us sometime in the future."

"I really hope not," he narrowed his eyes. "So be it, then. I'm Kakashi."

"Tora," I continued.

"Shisui!"

"Yes, yes. Introductions are out of the way. Now let's go help with the reparation," Kakashi sighed. He turned around and glued his eyes to his orange book, not even bothering to check if we were following. He probably knew. His hearing was probably sharp enough.

As we arrived on top of the Hokage monument, Kakashi flopped down on a fallen log near the forest and started reading. I looked at Shisui, who was just as confused.

"Kakashi-san," Shisui called out.

"Hm?" he flipped to another page.

"What should we be doing?"

"What the Hokage ordered you to do," Kakashi curtly answered.

"He's hopeless," I sighed at Shisui. "Come on, let's just help the workers. The sooner we're done, the better."

"Hold up, Tora," Shisui held up a hand. I complied, waiting for what Shisui had in mind. "Kakashi-san."

"Hm?" Kakashi hummed, turning to another page.

"How about we make a deal?" Shisui offered.

It was then that Kakashi finally looked up from his book. His single eye held a hint of irritation, but a bit of interest as well. "A deal?" he questioned.

Shisui nodded. "If we managed to help the workers fix the hole by the end of the day, we want you to teach us something useful." Kakashi leaned his head against his hand, contemplating his options. It wasn't long before he gave his answer.

"Sure," he answered noncommittally, obviously not expecting children like us to stand by our words. Well, with Shisui's words, I was tempted to prove him wrong.

"Thanks!" Shisui beamed, before pulling my hand towards the monument. Shisui put an arm over my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. "Thankfully, the hole we created isn't that large. If we hurry, we might finish before afternoon comes by," he whispered to me.

"Sure," I smiled. "Let's fulfill our end of the deal!" We closed our talk with a small fist bump before fully committing into our work today, running towards one of the workers for directions.

* * *

"I have to say, it's nice to meet you, Seiji-san," Mori Akemi said as she served him a cup of tea. "Tora and Shisui are rather close. I've never seen him so excited to go outside, not even with Itachi."

Seiji graciously accepted his cup before taking a small sip. "I have to say the same with Shisui. He was never interested in spending time with anyone other than Itachi." Akemi sat across him on the dining table. "This is a nice place you have here," Seiji praised.

Akemi waved her hand in dismissal. "Oh, don't be silly. It's a mess," she said. "I never really have the time for cleaning, and Tora's focusing on training."

"Still, it's comfortable. And Tora grew up fine under you," Seiji said.

Akemi scoffed, leaning one arm against the table, her green eyes set on Seiji. "With the stunt he pulled yesterday, he could've fooled me. When the Hokage's men came to my door, I was expecting the worst."

"They're children," Seiji chuckled. "Sure, they're not very normal children, but I say let them be kids for a while. It won't be long before the village sends them outside, especially with the rate of their training."

Akemi was silent for a while, staring at her cup of tea. Seiji thought he had struck something with her, especially as he noted the photos on the wall and the absence of the older male in the pictures. "You're a ninja, right, Seiji-san?"

"I am," he answered. "As are most of the Uchihas. Why?"

"It's just…" she rubbed her arms. "I don't really approve of Tora being a ninja," she admitted. "I've lost both my brother and husband to the profession."

Seiji blinked. "Tora never mentioned an uncle," he said.

"I've never told him. And it's not like he's my biological brother," she said, taking a sip of her tea. The hot liquid washed down her mouth, cleansing the uneasiness off of her. "He found me and took me in for a few years. He was always gone on missions."

Seiji did not prod. He knew how the story ended. The man probably never returned after saying his goodbyes for a mission. Like Tora's father, it was a fate all too common these days in their world. "I can't say I know how you feel, but I kind of understand," Seiji admitted. "We Uchihas are kind of expected to be ninjas."

"Did you…" Akemi put her cup down and stared at the table, as if embarrassed to ask him something. "Did you ever dream of being anything else?"

Seiji raised an eyebrow in interest. Akemi mistook it for a gesture of being offended. She raised her arms and shook them vehemently, her face contorting into a panic expression. "I mean- you don't have to answer them if you don't have one!"

Seiji couldn't hold himself. It started out as a chuckle, but soon enough, he was sent into a laughing fit. Akemi stopped with her antics and looked at her guest, this time, she was the one feeling annoyed. "What's with the laughing?" she demanded.

"Sorry," Seiji breathed, rubbing a hand on his bushy black hair. "I can see where Tora got his curiosity from, though he was a bit less crude."

Akemi puffed out her cheeks, a pout forming on her expression. "That's not nice," she complained.

"We Uchihas aren't exactly known for being nice," Seiji retorted, taking a sip from his tea.

"After seeing your clansmen, I don't doubt that. Though if by being "not nice", they start acting more like you, I wouldn't mind it one bit," she said. Seiji raised another eyebrow at the statement. It was only a full five seconds later that Akemi realized just what came out of her mouth.

"Aah! I don't mean it like that! You're nice, but also kind of mean, but I like that you're mean… That came out wrong…"

Seiji chuckled again. He certainly did not regret visiting Tora's mother. It was a nice way to spend the day, especially since Shisui began to go out more and he was having fewer and less risky missions. He had personally requested a few weeks of time off. It was nice to take a break from time to time. "To answer your question, though. I had dreamed of travelling the world," Seiji answered, taking the topic away from Akemi's embarrassing episode.

She hummed. "That's quite a dream. Certainly a much grander one than mine," Akemi fidgeted.

"I don't think a dream is supposed to be grander than another," Seiji said, a look of nostalgia flashing in his eyes. "It's just something you gotta go after."

"Did you say that to Tora, too?" Akemi smiled.

"How'd you know?"

"I have a feeling," she shrugged. She took a sip from her tea before glancing at the clock on the wall. "Oh, no!"

"What is it?" Seiji perked up, surprised at Akemi's sudden rise in voice.

"The shop I'm supposed to buy supplies from is closing in a few hours!"

"It's eleven," Seiji said, looking at the clock.

Akemi stood up and drank the rest of her tea. She let out a loud 'blah' as the warm liquid ran down her throat. "The owner is old and doesn't keep the shop open for long. Sorry, but I got to go."

"Wait!" Seiji stopped her. "Let me go with you."

"Eh?" she paused. "I don't want to be impose."

"It's not like I have anything to do for the rest of the day," Seiji stood up before finishing the rest of his tea as well. "I'll wait for you outside."

"Ah, okay." Akemi immediately flew to her room the moment Seiji had exited the shop, the clicking of front door echoing through the empty house. She grabbed her purse, before looking at her disheveled appearance in the mirror. "I can't go out like this!"

For the first time in years, Akemi made herself look more presentable than usual. God, she felt like a teenager again! She felt like it's her first time on a date. Wait? Was this a date?

* * *

Kakashi flipped to another page.

The sounds of tools clanking rang through the air. A few shouts from the two kids he was "babysitting" reached his ears. Kakashi turned his eye to the next page.

"Oi! Watch it! It could've fallen off!" said an adult. Probably one of the workers.

"But it didn't! So let's get on with it!" one of the boys retorted. Tora, if Kakashi's memory served him correctly. They certainly were going all out on the work. They might just finish before the day ends.

"You brat!" hollered the man.

"Whoa! Look out below!" Shisui called out, almost too excited.

Kakashi flipped to another page. _Ooh! It looks like Ruri is making her move on Kaito. The plot thickens!_ Kakashi thought, crossing his legs. It wasn't long before he was fully occupied with his book.

And the next, and the next. Time moved fast when one was occupied. When Kakashi took his eyes off his book, the sun was nearly setting, and in front of him stood two disheveled boys, both wearing a matching set of grins on their faces.

"Looks like we made it in time," the Uchiha, Shisui, if Kakashi remembered correctly, put his hands on his hips, a challenging look in his eyes. Sighing, Kakashi shut his book and pocketed it back into his pack.

"Fine. What do you want to know from me?" Kakashi pocketed his hands, his lazy posture kicking up. Obito would have a field day if he ever saw Kakashi in such a posture. The boy would never live it down. Kakashi found himself caring less and less about etiquette time and again. He didn't know whether he should be sagging with relief at being less tense or downright mortified at his bouts of laziness.

The two boys looked at each other before giving a nod, a silent communication going between them. "Teach us how to climb walls with chakra," they said at the same time.

"That's it?" Kakashi asked, a little surprised. Though his half-lidded eye could've fooled anyone.

"Yeah, that's it, really," Tora crossed his arms behind his head. "It's not like we'll be able to do any advanced jutsus that you know."

Kakashi crossed his arms. "It might take a while, you know. Usually, the wall climbing is taught to Genins."

"Just show us the basics!" Shisui cut in. Kakashi looked at the boy, annoyed at his uncouth behavior. "You can show us how to do it, and then we'll practice it on our own!"

Kakashi could certainly agree with that. The sooner he gives out the technique, the sooner he could go home and eat dinner. Fried fish and miso soup again, most likely. It wasn't like he was the best cook in the village. Heck, he bet even Guy could cook better than him, if his 'youthful' meals were anything to go by. They weren't that bad, actually. But Kakashi would sooner choke on his own mask before admitting it to the guy himself.

Kakashi sighed. "Okay, then," he uncrossed his arms. "The first thing to ask is this. Are you able to exert your chakra?"

Tora looked at Shisui. "Well, we did get through the leaf exercise," he laughed.

"So you did, huh?" Kakashi said lazily. "Well, I'll humor you boys."

"Yes!" Shisui gave Tora fist bump. The sight was almost endearing; an Uchiha and a clan-less boy being so familiar with each other. Kakashi would've smiled inwardly if he wasn't so eager to go home.

Kakashi clapped his hands, pulling the attention of the two boys towards him. "First off, is that you have to control the amount of chakra you use. Exerting too much would only propel you backwards, and most likely ruin the surface you were standing on. But exert too little and you won't stick. Are you following?"

It was a simple theory. Both Tora and Shisui nodded at Kakashi's explanation. "Applying this to either your feet or hands will make them stick," Kakashi continued. "I'll do a simple demonstration, and then off you kids go."

Kakashi wordlessly climbed the tree nearest to them. His control was perfect, and both boys looked at his feet like a hawk. Kakashi was now standing sideways on the tall tree trunk. He looked at the boys. "Satisfied?" he asked.

"What about on water?" Shisui asked. Kakashi sighed, narrowing his eyes at the boy.

"Standing on water requires more precise control," Kakashi said. "The principles are the same. It's just the amount of control required that's different. Because of the nature of water, the amount of chakra would be different depending on the surface of the water. Get it?" Both boys nodded.

"Hey!" Tora called to Shisui. "Let's make it a competition! Whoever reaches the top of these trees first will have to treat the other to some tonkatsu!"

Shisui scoffed. "Why settle for tonkatsu? Why not okonomiyaki!"

"Ehh…" Tora crossed his arms. "How about gyudon?"

"You're so cheap!" Shisui shot back.

Kakashi watched the back and forth argument between the two children. He sighed, not remembering even Obito to be this loud. Though, to be fair, Kakashi had always shot down the older boy's remarks. Seeing as the two children kept arguing what to buy each other tomorrow, Kakashi took that as his leave and used a Shunsin to move quickly out of the area. If they were going to practice the technique he had taught them, he would prefer not to be in the vicinity of frustrated shouts and yelps of pain by falling.

* * *

It was near ten o'clock. Akemi couldn't stop looking at the clock. The hands ticked by. Seconds turned to minutes and soon turned to an hour. It was now eleven. Tora was not home yet. Where could he be? He never trained this late. Akemi wrung her hands in worry. It was about twenty minutes later that she couldn't hold herself back. She picked up a coat from her wardrobe to shield her from the night and went to the compound to look for Seiji.

Akemi faced the compound's guards. They perked up, recognizing her, especially after seeing her with Seiji earlier that day. "Excuse me," Akemi greeted the guards.

"Yes?" one of them, the burly one said.

"Can you guide me to Seiji Uchiha's house?" she asked. "It's urgent. I promise not to do anything weird. You can supervise me all you want. I just need to talk to him."

They looked a bit unsure. The burly man's partner shrugged, seeing no harm in it. "Come with me," he said, motioning her to follow him. The burly one stayed by the gate, not even looking where Akemi was going, trusting his partner not to do anything unsavory.

It wasn't long before her escort stopped in front of a quaint but comfortable looking house. Akemi took a deep breath and rang the bell in front of the house. "Excuse me!" she called out. She waited for either Seiji or Shisui. She hoped it would be the latter. Shisui would have an inkling of where Tora was. They were inseparable like that.

"What is it, Akemi-san?" Seiji opened the sliding door, seeing Akemi's worried face.

"Is Shisui home?" Akemi asked urgently.

Seiji blinked. "No, actually. It's getting late and I'm getting a little worried," he said.

"Tora isn't home either! Could something happen to them?"

Seiji racked his thoughts. The war was over. But danger in the village wasn't out of the question. There was no reason for Tora and Shisui to be in danger, though. Tora was clan-less, and Shisui had no status importance like Itachi or the newborn Sasuke. He was nowhere near as being the clan heir. Tora and Shisui had no political importance whatsoever.

The only thing he could think of was the one organization that was supposedly disbanded. Even he had only heard an inkling of the organization when he was an Anbu himself. But rumors had it that the organization took children from orphanage, and sometimes, even talented children that weren't even in the orphanage. He wasn't looking forward for those rumors to be proven true.

"Stay here, Akemi-san!" Seiji told her. "I'll try to find the boys!" Akemi nodded and went inside.

"What should I do?" Akemi asked.

Seiji looked at her. She was no ninja. She was a civilian. Akemi had no self-defense skills. Leaving her here alone would be a bad idea. God knows if any threat would target her, ensuring that Tora would fall into their hands. "Kazu!" he called to Akemi's escort.

"Yes?"

"Watch over the house while I'm gone!" Seiji commanded. "If there's anyone suspicious, take them out!" Kazu nodded in a confused daze, unsure of the order, but complying to it either way. Knowing that Akemi was in capable hands, Seiji jumped to a lamp post before sprinting past rooftops looking for his son and his friend.

Seiji looked at the sky, the crescent moon emanating its glow on earth, lighting his path. Being a hidden village, the place wasn't exactly littered with spotlights, though he certainly wished that it was right now. It would be so much help.

Seiji concentrated the chakra in his eyes, activating the familiar blood red eyes of his clan. His three tomoes swirled lazily, granting him a better view of the night. Seiji stopped to a halt and closed his eyes in concentration. He was a good enough censor, if he did say so himself. He tried to feel for the familiar chakras of Tora and Shisui, but couldn't feel any of them within the vicinity.

 _Damn it!_ he thought. He took into a run again, not stopping between rooftops. He was near the center of the village now. He ran up a lamp post and crouched on top of it, hoping that the added height would make for a better vantage point. He scanned the surroundings with his Sharingan, but still no success. Closing his eyes again, Seiji tried to feel for Shisui's chakra signature. He still felt nothing. Cursing under his breath, he was about to stop reaching out when a suspiciously fast movement of chakra dashed towards the Hokage Monument. Seiji stilled, unsure if it was a Jounin returning from a mission late at night or not. It was soon followed by another chakra signature. And another. A single presence may be dismissed as a Jounin or an Anbu, but three signatures moving at a fast pace towards the same direction? It was too suspicious for him not to follow.

With a burst of Shunsin, Seiji followed the three chakra signatures, hoping that whoever they were, they hadn't laid a hand on Shisui and Tora.

Seiji was now running up the cliffs of the Hokage Monument, hoping that his son and his friend was still safe. Reaching the top, Seiji pulled out a kunai and prepared for the worst. The clearing was almost too quiet. Almost. It would've been if it weren't for the pair of boys snoring away near the forest. Seiji sighed in relief, but did not let down his guard. He walked towards Shisui and Tora's sleeping figure, taking in their disheveled state and bruised foot. They had taken off their sandals and he could clearly see the angry red marks on the bottom of their feet; signs of chakra exertions.

Seiji looked at the trees. Two of them were littered with slashes. From the kunais in their hand, no doubt. There were a few parts of the trunk that had holes on them. _So they were trying to climb with their chakras, huh? I don't remember teaching Shisui that,_ Seiji mused. Seeing their feet, it dawned on him that there might just be a reason that the tree-climbing technique wasn't taught until the kids were Genin. Still, he noted that the both of them had reached quite a way past half of the trees. They weren't that far off from reaching the top. He couldn't help but feel a surge of pride, more so for Shisui. The moment was cut off when a few rustles reached his ears. The three individuals were here.

Seiji activated his Sharingan, taking in their appearance. They slowly crept out of the bushes, tantos ready in their grips. They all wore masks, each with different animal features. Their cloak didn't hide much of their uniform, which wasn't the standard Anbu uniform. His mind went back to the organization that had just been rumors for him.

"Looks like they weren't just rumors, after all," Seiji muttered. Without a word, two of the cloaked figures rushed towards him, while the remaining one ran to the side towards the boys. Seeing this, Seiji jumped upwards just before the two attackers hit him. Missing him by a hair's breadth, the two attackers looked up, only to be greeted by the soles of Seiji's sandals. Using their heads as a platform, Seiji jumped towards the remaining one. Mid-air, Seiji whipped two kunais and channeled them with wind chakra. He threw them towards the enemy, the wind chakra cutting through the air, giving off a small sizzling sound as it did so.

Hearing the sound, the cloaked Anbu turned his head around. Whipping through the attack, he barely managed to avoid being skewered, the kunais only grazing his right thigh and mask. Seiji pulled out another kunai in an attempt to stab the attacker, but he jumped back, cloak billowing as he did so. Seiji didn't mind. At the very least, they wouldn't get near Shisui and Tora.

Looking at the attackers, Seiji noticed how short they were. If his eyes weren't deceiving him, he'd say that the three of them were a few heads shorter than him. Seiji gritted his teeth. He hated killing kids. Such a waste of talent and life. But he already had his priorities sorted out. For Shisui, he'd kill just about anybody.

The ones he had jumped off rushed at him, the two attackers swinging their tantos at him. Seiji blocked one and narrowly avoided the other, letting their own momentum deliver them towards him. With a swift movement, Seiji brought the kunai that had been blocking the blade to stab the attacker in front of him. At the last second, the masked figure leaned to the side and rolled downwards behind him. Seiji turned around, seeing all three figures standing in front of him, weapons at the ready.

They were about to attack again when they stilled. Looking at each other, a form of communication went by them. Giving each other a nod, Seiji watched as they scrambled away from sight. It wasn't long before Seiji knew why they did just that.

A sharp and powerful chakra presence approached the area Seiji was in, and he soon found himself face to face with the newly appointed Hokage of the village. Minato Namikaze cut an impressive figure with his white coat billowing behind him, no doubt having used his Flying Thunder God technique. Behind him, was a pair of ninjas that were most likely his bodyguards.

"Hokage-same," Seiji greeted with a small bow, deactivating his Sharingan in the process. The young Hokage nodded, looking around the premise.

He waved his hand. "Search the perimeters just in case there's still more lurking!" the Hokage commanded his men. With a quick 'yes', they scrambled away, leaving no evidence that they had been there. The Hokage looked at Seiji, and the Uchiha calmly waited for the inevitable question.

"My men and I sensed a surge of chakra in this area," he said. "Care to tell me what's it about, Uchiha-san?"

Seiji nodded. "Of course, Hokage-sama. But, I would prefer if we take this somewhere more secure. It's not safe for the both of them," he pointed at his son and his friend. A look of recognition grazed the Hokage's face before steeling back into the impassive mask of a soldier.

"We'll wait for my men to come back, then we can discuss this in my office," the Hokage said.

"Of course."

* * *

Minato folded his hands together, eyes narrowing in frustration. Both he and Hiruzen-sama knew that it would only be a matter of time before Danzo made his move. But Minato hadn't anticipated it to be so soon. Still, his men hadn't found a trace of the Seiji Uchiha's attackers. Without proof, he couldn't point his hands to Danzo. And even if he had those attackers, he doubt he'd be able to. Minato was sure that Danzo would cover all grounds.

"Is that all, Seiji-san?" Minato asked the man in front of him. Seiji Uchiha nodded, having told the entirety of his account to Minato. He couldn't help but notice on how Seiji's eyes kept drifting to the side, where young Shisui and Tora were sleeping soundly, not realizing that they had been just a hair's breadth from being taken away. Childhood ignorance was so blissful. It was a shame that with the rate they're growing in skills, they wouldn't be able to savor those moments for long.

Minato looked at the two boys, sleeping on the chairs provided to them. Their feet had been bandaged to minimize the damage from their training. The rest were superficial damages from falling, scrapes and minor bruises that would heal in a day or two. Their feet, though, would need more time to heal properly. Minato couldn't resist a chuckle when Tora drifted off and leaned his face on Shisui's shoulder, drenching the young Uchiha's shoulder with his drool. Shisui groaned but made no move to remove the annoyance leaning against him, too tired to do so.

"Hokeage-sama, may I propose something?" Seiji asked. Minato blinked in interest, his attention focused on whatever Seiji would propose. Seiji took Minato's silence as a sign to continue.

"I propose that Tora Mori and Akemi Mori, his mother, stay with me until Tora's healed," Seiji said. "Tora is already a target enough. With him indisposed, it'll only raise the bar on him, and I'm afraid that more attempts to take him would result in less than desirable results in his current state. I would prefer if nothing bad happens to Tora and his mother."

Minato raised an eyebrow. "That means they'll be living in the compound," he said.

"I don't mind."

"It's not your opinion that's on my mind," Minato sighed. "You should tell Fugaku-san about this. Marking this as confidential would only raise more questions."

"Of course, Lord Fourth," Seiji answered.

"You know, I could always station Anbus around the Mori household," Minato offered.

Seiji shook his head. "No offense, Lord Fourth, but I would feel more at ease if I were to personally handle them. And besides, I did request a time-off. It might just give me something to do rather than longue around the house."

"I have no doubt it would," Minato said, looking at the two sleeping boys. "You're dismissed, then."

Seiji nodded and walked over to the two boys. "I can't help but feel that this wouldn't be the end with you boys," Seiji muttered. He was about to put Shisui on his shoulders when he realized that he couldn't exactly carry the two boys simultaneously without hurting them further. Sheepishly, he looked at the Hokage. Seiji certainly did not miss the amused look on the blonde's face.

"I have the front of the compound marked," Minato said.

"Yes, please," answered Seiji sheepishly.

* * *

 _"Excuse me!" I let myself in, not even knocking at the door. I watched with a smile as I saw Naruto, the Seventh Hokage, hunching over a mountain of paperwork. His face scrawled with tired lines and his hair was in disarray. "Did you even go home last night?" I asked with a hand on my hip, my dark traveling cloak shifted as I did so._

 _"Tora-nii," he grumbled. "What brings you here?" he asked, too tired for pleasantries._

 _"I'm saying my farewells," I said as my mismatched eyes followed Naruto's tired movements. He really looked like he needed a break from all the Hokage work. Naruto stood up and stretched his back, earning a loud pop as he did so. I held back a wince as Naruto sagged in relief._

 _"You're going back to the Hidden Rain?" Naruto asked._

 _I nodded. "Though not for long. Konan was thinking of retiring from her position, and my place in Grass would be more than enough for her retirement plan."_

 _"Retirement, huh?" Naruto mused. "I just got the position some years ago, and I'm already looking forward to retirement."_

 _I chuckled. "Admit it. A part of you likes all this work," I said, gesturing towards the paperwork._

 _"Maybe not the paperwork," Naruto answered, gazing outside the window of the Hokage tower. "But seeing the results of my work always pays off."_

 _I smiled, feeling more than a little proud at him. "Well, I haven't said my farewells to Itachi. I should hurry before recess is over."_

 _"You should," Naruto said, crossing his arms with a smile. "It's still a little surprising, though."_

 _"What? That Itachi became an academy instructor?" I asked. Naruto's answer was just a nod._

 _I let out a small laugh. "Well, he has always been into history. Makes sense that he'd teach the subject. And besides," I smiled. "It's not every day that students can proudly say that their history teacher is a former Hokage."_

* * *

I woke up with yet another drenched shirt. Some of these days, I'll get to the bottom of these dreams, and maybe even remember their contents. After taking off my shirt, I looked around my room to look for the wardrobe. Or at least tried to, because I wasn't in my room. And where I would usually sleep on a bed, I was lying in a futon. Blinking in confusion, I tried to stand up, but was cut off from a painful sensation from my feet. Taking the futon off me, I saw that my feet were bandaged. Not too thick, but certainly thick enough that I'd have trouble walking normally.

 _Is this the result of our training?_ I asked myself. I scratched my hair, deciding that we may have overdone it a little. I was cut off from my thoughts when the sliding door to the room opened. My mom was there, shoulders sagged in relief at the sight of me waking up. It wasn't long before her face contorted into a barely concealed anger, though.

"You have some explaining to do, Tora Mori!" she pointed at me. "Falling asleep in the middle of nowhere!"

"We were on the Hokage mountain."

"And nearly getting kidnapped!"

"Shisui and I- wait, what?" I realized. "What do you mean?"

My mom sighed, as if she had just aged a year in a single night. "Tora," she said.

"Yes?"

"Seiji-san is talking with Shisui about the matter, so I'll keep this brief and simple," she said, her tone grief. I only nodded dumbly.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Someone tried to kidnap both you and Shisui. I'm not sure where they're from, and Seiji-san wouldn't tell me anything more than that," she said.

"I, uh- can you repeat that?"

She ignored my question and instead put both her hands on my shoulders. I felt small as she held me; a reminder of my age. "I almost lost you," she said gravely. I silently put a hand on hers, both of us sitting in silence.

"Sorry," I muttered. After what felt like minutes, I broke the silence that blanketed us. "Can you help me to where Seiji-san is?"

Mom nodded. "Sure," she said as she helped me stand up. "But wear some shirt first." I saw her hands pointing at a spot in the corner, and noted the neatly folded shirt there. I was obviously not mine, but I wore it nonetheless, figuring that the shirt was Shisui's. After that, I tried to walk with mom's help. It stung a bit, but I was very careful not to put too much pressure whenever I stepped. I held back a wince as I slowly walked down the stairs, eager to get to the bottom set. As I got to the bottom floor, I looked towards the dining room, finding Shisui and his father talking over what looked like breakfast. I licked my lips, realizing how hungry I was after last night's training.

Mom helped me into the dining room, and Seiji-san looked up from where he sat. Shisui gave me a small wave, which I answered back.

"Tora," Seiji-san called to me.

"Yes?"

He sighed. "Quite a few things happened last night. I feel that both you and Shisui should know this."

"Okay," I answered, the words coming out of my mouth automatically, at a loss for words. Seiji-san's expression was serious; the face of a hardened ninja and not of a carefree father. Whatever he wanted to talk to us about was no laughing matter. Shisui looked like he caught up with the mood as well and waited for me to sit down. I just hoped that this wouldn't take long. I longed for anything to fill my stomach.

* * *

 **Another chapter out! I'm sure some of you would question why I would insert that certain moment so early in the story considering how spoiler-ish it is. Well, for starters, I am a firm believer that spoilers enhance the experience. And it was also to show you readers that I know where I'm taking this story. I'm not making things up as I go along.**

 **And no, this isn't a romantic ShisuixTora story. Their relationship will strictly be a brotherly one. So, sorry for those expecting a yaoi story, but it's just not my thing.**

 **So, any thoughts on the current plot? Even better, any thoughts or comments on Tora's dream? Let me know in the reviews, or PM me if you have a more elaborate question. And don't forget to follow and favorite for future updates.**


	6. Chapter 6: Happy Birthday! (Part 1)

**The Road of Life**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all its characters. I'm just playing around with them.**

 **Sorry for the long wait. I've been extremely busy. Still am. But at least I got this out, even if it's shorter than intended, and a little rushed.**

* * *

Shisui watched as Tora absorbed the information his father had given him. Tora stared at the dining table, deep in thought. Shisui knew that this wasn't Tora's first encounter with an attack, as his friend had told him himself. Out of concern, Shisui had told this bit to his father. To say that his father wasn't pleased was an understatement. He had seemed furious that Tora had taken the matter in stride, before settling in for a tired gaze.

"So," Tora looked up from the table. "What now?"

Shisui's father crossed his arms, gazing at Tora with a steeled expression. To his credit, Tora held his gaze, not looking away from Seiji's intense coal-colored eyes. Finally letting out a sigh, Seiji rubbed his messy black hair tiredly.

"Well, your mom has agreed that until you're fully healed, you're staying here with us so that I can watch over you easier," Seiji said. Shisui saw Tora blink.

"What about mom?" he asked.

"Both of you are going to stay here, as both your mother and I have talked. She mentioned something about taking a short break," Seiji said, shifting his eyes to Tora's mother who was sitting in the living room. "I say she earned that a long time ago," Seiji continued, rubbing a hand on Tora's head. Either Tora was too sleepy or he actually liked the gesture. Shisui saw his friend unconsciously leaning towards it.

"We can talk about all this gloom later," Seiji said, not leaving any room for arguments. "For now, you boys need to eat. You wasted so much chakra on that training last night. Looks like I will have to teach you boys to control your chakra properly."

"But we did climb the tree!" Shisui retorted.

"Not until the top, it seems," Seiji shook his head. "And I could see that you were only able to stick for a short while before falling off, isn't that right?"

Shisui and Tora grimaced at the accusation, not exactly denying it as false. "But, well," Seiji shrugged. "It's still pretty commendable for your age. But regardless, breakfast should be on your mind right now."

True enough, both Shisui and Tora's stomach grumbled. It wasn't long before a standard breakfast was set in front of the; a bowl of rice, fried fish and a side of salted broccoli. Shisui noted how Tora's eyes shined at the sight of the broccoli. He himself was pretty indifferent to the plant, as he was to most vegetables, but Tora seemed really excited. His gaze turned slightly disappointed at the plain rice, though.

Tora's mother gave him a reprimanding look, and Tora huffed before digging into his meal. The immediate rate at how they went back to every day normalcy would probably unnerve most civilians. But Shisui was no stranger to the routine. He knew that some missions his father went on were not something for the light-hearted, and the normal act his father adopted around him after said missions was a form of coping mechanism. It was just strange to see his friend, yet again after the break in at his house, adopt such similar mannerisms.

Still, it wasn't like Shisui could blame his friend. He lifted his own bowl and heartily ate the breakfast before him. They would need all the meal and rest they could get to heal their legs. The sooner they did, the sooner Shisui's father could help them with their chakra training.

* * *

 _Naruto looked up from his position, hands positioned above Sasuke's to combine their techniques, their dominant hands already pouring the chakra they have along with the chakra the old man gave them. Time was running out. He could see it clearly above them. The black ball of chakra was coming down upon them, and the others were doing what they could to slow it down._

 _"Sasuke!" Naruto called to his side. "Are you ready?"_

 _The Uchiha nodded, already covering Naruto's Rasengan with Amaterasu and lightning chakra. He could also feel Sage chakra being used to maintain the chakra's shape. Naruto was already in his Kyubi Chakra Mode, while Sasuke was in his Sage Mode, his Rinnegan taking a yellowish hue while the parts around his eyes were marred with black markings._

 _With a loud roar, Naruto summoned his Kurama avatar; pouring chakra to transfer the Rasengan-Chidori combination to the avatar's hand. The ball of chakra grew bigger and denser, with barely contained lightning cackling like a thousand birds. Sasuke's Mangekyo Sharingan flashed, and the gigantic orange avatar was covered in dark purple armor. Sasuke took a deep breath after performing the technique, no doubt more than slightly winded._

 _Their attention, however, was soon changed to the sky. Itachi, Kakashi, and Izumi could do no more. Their Susanoo disintegrating from huge armored winged Tengu to mere ribcages, no doubt to protect themselves and the other people within it from any fall damage. Naruto had to swallow a lump that formed in his throat, realizing that Itachi's Yata Mirror hadn't been enough to stop the attack._

 _"This is it, Naruto!"_

 _Naruto looked back to Sasuke and nodded grimly. They were tired, battered, and injured, but they were still breathing. And if there's anything his mother- no, their mother, he corrected, had taught them, was that you have to fight to the last breath, especially if it's to protect something. Well, this was the world they're protecting, so there's no turning back. It was do or die. Even if their fight was in vain, at least it was a fight worth fighting for. He could imagine Tora-nii frowning at the ideology, but it was the ideology his mom followed, and he couldn't help it if he agreed with it, damn it!_

 _"Let's go, Sasuke!"_

* * *

Kushina sat up from her bed with a gasp. She grasped her head, feeling a splitting headache coming. It was then that she realized that her forearm was matted with sweat, as well as most of her figure. Her shirt was drenched with sweat as well.

Did I… have a dream? she asked herself. Feeling a kick from her belly, Naruto seemed unusually active. Or did Naruto?

Could babies dream inside the womb? Even then, she wondered why she had experienced the dream as well. Come to think of it, she couldn't even remember the dream, save for a few tidbits. It had involved Naruto and… Sasuke?

Kushina wondered how Mikoto's son could get involved in the dream. Another wave of nausea came over her the more she tried to think about it. Standing up, she reached for the wardrobe in the corner of the room, putting on a new set of clothes. She didn't bother showering; feeling that the time inside the secluded space would lead to more thinking on her part.

Strolling to the kitchen area, Kushina noted how lifeless things were now that she had taken in her lonely state. Naruto had stopped squirming inside of her and she felt the silence would engulf over her if she didn't do anything.

She clicked her fingers, a small smile on her face, and set off, hands gliding as she gathered the ingredients and utensils. Minato always said he liked seeing her cook. It was like seeing a dance; a set of graceful motions as she flew through the kitchen and come out with something edible.

Ramen may be Kushina's favorite food, but she could cook other things, no doubt. Her homemade cooking had even brought the Hokage to his knees, after all. Something she no doubt took pride in.

Putting the finished rice and tonkatsu on the table, she muttered her graces and dug in, minding herself not to choke on her meal. It was well into her meal when another wave of headache came over her. She clutched her head, feeling it throb like a pulse. With a groan, she reached for a glass of water and downed it all in one go.

Closing her eyes, Kushina expected darkness, with a hint of muted light. But she saw something else; a figure, and a calloused yet undoubtedly, a female hand holding said figure's cheek. She wanted to open her eyes, to get away from this abnormality. But her sight was glued.

The vision became less blurred, and she was now looking at a boy, brown hair in a disheveled state with tired green eyes staring exasperatedly at her. Or rather, one green eye. His left eye was bandaged, and Kushina could see splotches of blood matting the bandage. The boy moved his mouth, but she couldn't hear a sound. The boy stilled, seemingly listening to whatever was being said to him.

Suddenly, he broke into a small smile, removing the hand that was holding his cheek. He moved his lips again. And even though Kushina was well versed in reading lips, she still couldn't make sense of what the boy said to her.

 _"It's fine, sensei. It's just a scratch. I'll get used to seeing from one eye, like Kakashi-san!"_

Opening her eyes, Kushina took in a few deep breaths. She looked out the window, seeing the sun at its peak. Maybe she needed some fresh air. She wasn't enthused to see anymore visions, whether they were hers or Naruto's. It all seemed so odd. She never remembered having a student before. She would have to speak to Minato about it when he gets home. Kushina finished her tonkatsu, adamant about never leaving a dish unfinished.

"Things just keep getting weirder, huh, Naruto?" she said, rubbing her swelling stomach.

* * *

About two months after Kushina had told Minato of her dilemma, and he still didn't have anything to say of it. The situation was a complete mystery to him. Sure, he had heard rumors of babies being able to dream, but certainly not to the extent of Naruto's. Kushina had some sort of daydreams, flashes of visions whenever she closed her eyes, as well. But it was gone within the first week.

Two months, he felt guilty just leaving Kushina at home. He tried harder to finish his work to get home earlier, but he just couldn't do it every day. They had tried asking the personal doctor Hiruzen had assigned to them, but to no avail. And he wasn't going to bring Kushina to the hospital. While there may be better equipped doctors there, he didn't want to risk more people knowing Kushina's other, older condition. The Nine Tails was a delicate matter only shared among Konoha's top brass, after all.

Putting down his pen, Minato twirled his special kunai in his hand, feeling the seal up and down, each little detail memorized by his skin already. Eyes bored, Minato glanced at the clock.

It was only two in the afternoon. Maybe a small break wouldn't hurt. He hadn't eaten lunch yet, and Kushina didn't bring him any lunch box this morning. He didn't want to disturb her sleep. She needed it, and he also didn't want to suffer her morning wrath.

Pulling out a small slip of paper from his desk, Minato wrote something for his assistant should she need him for something, telling her that he needed some lunch and fresh air. Putting the pen down, Minato disappeared in a flash using Hiraishin, leaving nothing of his presence safe for the slip of paper.

Opening his eyes, Minato was greeted with the familiar sight of the Ichiraku Ramen's side of the building. He had several locations within the village marked with his Hiraishin for ease of function. The jutsu had a lot more application that for battle, and it would be a waste for him not to use it. He wondered if the Second Hokage was turning within his grave. He didn't like to think about it.

Entering the ramen shop, he was greeted with the familiar smell of fresh noodles. He had always liked ramen, but Kushina had always taken him here on their dates. He couldn't help but let it grow on him.

"Ah!" Teuchi greeted. "Hokage-sama!"

Minato waved a hand in greeting. "The usual," he said. Teuchi nodded and got back to work, while Minato sat himself down on one of the seats by the counter. Glancing at his right, Minato saw someone familiar seating by himself waiting for his own bowl of ramen.

"Tora-kun, is it?" Minato asked.

The boy nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama. I haven't been making too much trouble, if that's what you were wondering."

Minato chuckled. "The thought didn't even cross my mind." Although after the boy said it, it began to. He had heard the rumors of young Shisui and Tora already walking on walls and that they were also currently practicing water-walking. He hoped that having those skills wouldn't incite the two boys to create more trouble. "You're not with Shisui today?"

Tora looked at him. "He has some clan matters to talk to with his father today."

"Ah, okay," Minato answered, the conversation dying down. He remembered when Seiji had insisted that he take care of the Mori family's wellbeing for as long as Tora's incapacitated. It had taken the boy a little more than a week to heal. The report came to him that day, and thankfully, there hadn't been any report of more attacks by the Foundation.

"You, know. It wasn't the first," Tora cut into the silence.

"What do you mean?"

Tora turned in his seat, facing Minato. "That night when Seiji-san saved us. It wasn't the first time for me. Seiji-san told me that there were some masked men?"

Minato nodded, taking note that Tora said that it wasn't the first time. Why didn't he tell anyone?

"I fought one about my age the night before."

Minato stilled, taking in the information. Regardless of the fact that the boy had managed to ward off his attacker, it seemed that Danzo was more desperate than he initially thought. Two attempts in a row in two nights? Minato didn't even notice the bowl of ramen placed in front of him along with Tora's. Teuchi kept on working, seemingly used to having ninja-talk in his shop. He knew better than to butt his head in where he did not belong.

"Interesting," Minato let out. Tora stared at him, as if the boy was expecting more of a response than what he got. "But I'm starving. For now, let's eat." Tora nodded, taking his own set of chopsticks.

"Thank you for the meal!" they both said, before immediately diving into their meals. The meal went on in a comfortable silence. The sounds of slurps filled the shop, while Teuchi was off washing some utensils for later use.

Hokage-sama," Tora called in the middle of their meal.

"Hm?"

"Does being a ninja pay well?"

Minato stopped in the middle of eating, chewing and swallowing his noodle before answering the boy. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I just want to hear it from the big guy, you know", Tora hesitated, seemingly embarrassed by the question.

"I don't think it's a bad question, really," Minato said. "Not a lot of kids are as honest as you."

Tora stared at him, prompting the Hokage to continue. "As for your question, I'd say it's pretty profitable, both for the village and the ninjas that do the work. Though, higher level ninjas don't really have the luxury of time to spend all that money, to be honest."

"Oh, that's fine with me," Tora cut in, waving his unoccupied hand. "Most of it will probably go to my mom anyway."

"How selfless!" Minato laughed. "But you know, it's not bad to live for yourself."

"Seiji-san said the same thing to me."

Minato nodded. "He's a good man. I don't know much about him, to be honest. But he's pretty liked among the villagers, especially the civilians." Specifically, the ladies, which went unsaid.

"I see," Tora answered as they went back to eating. A few moments passed undisturbed safe for the sound of eating. Minato was inwardly smiling as he ate. He was glad that some kids like Tora, Shisui, and Itachi existed. They gave him hope that someone might lead the next generations in his stead, should anything happen to him. He held no grandeur illusions of his job. In this time after war and in the next one, he could be called to the front lines, and it was just counting the time until his death, if that happened.

No matter how strong you were, there was bound to be someone better than you. It's the principle Minato lived by, and it was what enabled him to survive this long.

"Hokage-sama," Tora asked again. Minato turned to him, unsurprised, as if expecting the boy to ask another question. Minato said nothing, waiting for Tora to continue.

"What would you do if you get a second chance at life?"

At the question, Minato tilted his head curiously. Tora held up his hands, adding, "Metaphorically speaking, of course."

"Big words," Minato mused, to which Tora gave an unamused glance. "But about that, well… I think I'd just do what I believe is right."

"That's it?" Tora raised a brow, seemingly unconvinced.

Minato chuckled. "Not everything needs to be complicated, Tora-kun. Sometimes, the hardest questions have the simplest answers."

Tora still look unconvinced, to which Minato stood up from his seat and ruffled the boy's hair. Having finished his ramen, Minato put down a few bills of Ryo on the counter.

"Ah, this is a little bit too much, Hokage-sama," Teuchi noted, seeing the amount of bills on the table.

"I'm paying for the boy," Minato winked. "Now if you'll excuse me." With that final greeting, the Fourth Hokage disappeared in a flash, befitting of his moniker. Teuchi smiled and gathered the bills, while Tora mused on the Hokage's words while eating his ramen, still not understanding the meaning to it.

* * *

"Your birthday is coming soon, you know," Shisui said, ducking under a high kick. Countering my attack, he went for a sweep, aiming for my leg. I jumped to avoid it and immediately jumped back upon landing, planting some distance between us.

Shisui twirled the kunai in his hand. "Not gonna say anything about it?" he asked. He rushed forward, holding the kunai in a reversed grip. I waited for his attack and grabbed his wrist at the last moment. Quikly, I wrestled the kunai away from his hand and now I had a weapon in mine.

"As I remember, your birthday is nine days after it," I replied, swinging the weapon in my hand. Shisui ducked under the attack and went behind me. I turned around; blocking the punch he delivered with my left forearm. Unrelenting, Shisui tripped my right foot. Taking advantage of my imbalance, Shisui tried to wrestle the kunai off my hand, but I immediately replanted my foot on the ground and snaked away from his attempt. I tried to slash at him a few times, but his superior speed proved the attempts to be in vain as he avoided nearly all of my slashes.

Seeing an opening, Shisui rushed in. I delivered a punch, only to be avoided. He ducked under it and rolled behind me. I smirked, already aware of his usual tricks. Immediately turning around, I tripped his foot with mine. He found himself on the ground upon falling, seemingly a little surprised. I pointed the kunai at him, about to tell him to surrender, when he grabbed my entire arm and flipped me over. He was now on top of me, with the kunai at my throat.

"Yield?" he asked with a smile.

I grumbled. "Yeah, sure."

"Ahaha! Cheer up, Tora! You're progressing faster than anyone I know!" Shisui consoled me.

"You don't know a lot of kids our age."

"Well, that is also true," he replied sheepishly. "Anyway, you haven't answered my question." He threw the kunai at me, seeing as it belonged to me. Sparring with only a single weapon available had been our normal pastime for the last few weeks. We would try to take possession of a single weapon while trying to attack each other. It felt like game of tug-of-war, but instead of rope, we were using a kunai.

I wiped the sweat off my brows, mulling over an answer. "My birthday is soon. I know."

"If you don't actually remember, I'd be concerned that the falls you took in our spars had done more to your head," Shisui chuckled. "It's in like, what? Four days?"

"Yeah." Should I tell him?

The dreams that I usually had. I still hadn't managed to remember any of their contents. But after getting back to my house with my mom two months back, it became more frequent. Nearly every few days. The shortest interval was a single day. I had a bad feeling about it.

"Enjoy it, Tora!" Shisui said. "It's probably our last carefree moment before joining the academy."

"Somehow, I doubt that."

"Great. Now I'm starting to doubt it too," Shisui chuckled.

We left the training ground after taking a short rest, setting out on finding some lunch. After finding a quaint vendor by the street, we settled for two bowls of katsudon. Sitting on a bench, we muttered our thanks and dug into the meal. Shisui had paid for it, saying that the birthday boy should get some sort of luxury. Not that this was out of the norm, really. Shisui would often pay for my meals after training. Whether it was out of his good heart, or from losing a bet. And Shisui very often loses a bet with me. I wondered if I would be a good gambler when I grow up.

"You know," Shisui said while eating. "I kinda miss training together with Itachi."

"He's busy with training with his father and taking care of Sasuke," I replied. "And it's not like we don't often go to his house anyway."

"I know," Shisui said. "I just miss training together, not just lounging around."

"True."

"Have you told him about your birthday?" Shisui asked.

I scoffed. "I didn't need to. He already knows. It's like he has ears everywhere."

"Ahaha! He is very knowledgeable, but I highly doubt that."

"So, with all this talk of my birthday, what do you want for your birthday?"

Shisui hummed, picking his food with his chopstick. "What I want for my birthday, huh?" he mirrored the question. "Why not make it a surprise?" he grinned.

"A surprise, huh?" I chuckled. "Well, hold me to that. When the day comes, you'll have your present."

"October 19th, remember?"

"Of course!" I replied, bumping our fists; a similar gesture that had become a habit since we met.

* * *

"It is now a little over the tenth month," Hiruzen said.

"I know, Sarutobi-sama."

"The delivery team I prepared is ready just in case," Hiruzen continued. "Have you chosen a place?"

Minato nodded. "A hideout away from the village, just in case the Nine Tails escapes its confinement."

Hiruzen nodded. "Good. The barrier team is also ready, alongside the squad of Anbu that I've prepared."

Minato stamped on a paper, humming, not very concerned for his wife's birthing, if he was being honest. They had planned this for months. The possibility that it goes haywire was very low. Still, they chose a secluded area away from the village just in case the Nine Tails managed to bypass the weakening seal and escape. But with his prowess on seals, he didn't think it'd happen. The barrier team should also minimize the collateral damage should the Nine Tails do escape. It shouldn't happen. He wouldn't allow it. The Nine Tails escaping means the death of his wife. And he didn't know if re-sealing the creature would help her or not.

After a few more talks about the preparation, the Third Hokage and his escorts went out of the room, leaving Minato on his own. Stamping another paper, he put it among its kind. The stack of papers that needs to be inspected was dwindling, but there were still a significant amount of it. Sighing, Minato's mind went back to Kushina and her condition. He absolutely cannot let her die. As he thought of how to save her should the situation demands it, a thought passed by his mind.

 _"I think I'd just do what I believe is right"._

"Practice what I preached, huh?"

Minato crossed his fingers in front of his face, mulling about his options. Looking to the side, he saw his team photo. The sight of the picture always brought a sense of nostalgia within him. Death wasn't a stranger to Minato. No self-respecting ninja is a stranger to death and its effects. But Minato couldn't help but feel a gnawing hole at seeing two of his dead students, face plastered on a timeless picture, acting like nothing happened. Minato didn't change much, but Kakashi was nothing like his former self. Whether it was for better or worse, Minato did not know.

Whatever happens to his wife, she would survive. Tailed beast or not, it matters little. Minato would do what he believed to be right.

* * *

"Oh, man," Akemi grumbled as she walked down the quiet street. The moon illuminating her path where the street light didn't. "I fell asleep and forgot that I had to meet the courier tonight. Oh, what if he already left?" she panicked. She looked at her watch. "Ehh!? It's already one in the morning! I have to hurry!"

She hurried towards the direction of the village center, hoping to catch the courier. She needed to find a bar or an inn. There was a higher chance of said courier staying in such places. After all, she went through quite the ordeal in order to get Tora's present. The book that Shisui suggested had been gone from the shop by the time they tried to buy it. Thankfully, Seiji had a few connections from his work to help.

She looked around, her eyes finally settling on a lone inn. The sign said that it served as a bar as well. She entered the establishment. There didn't seem to be a lot of people, safe for a few ninjas who had come back from a late mission. So the sight of a plainly dressed man with a large back settled by his table was a welcome sight for Akemi.

She sagged in relief. "Thank goodness," she said, walking towards the courier.

* * *

Itachi cradled Sasuke in his arms. He let out a yawn as he stared at the moon. His baby brother had started crying in the middle of the night, and seeing as both of his parents were out of the house on some business; it was his duty to take care of his brother.

Sitting on the porch, Itachi tightened the blanket around his brother, hoping that it would keep the cold from getting to him. A gust of wind blew past them, showering Itachi in its cold embrace, seeing as he was only wearing a simple shirt and a pair of shorts.

Itachi looked towards the distance; an eerie feeling crept up his spine. He felt that he should go back inside. His instincts told him to. But another part of him glued him to his spot, a strange fascination towards the dangerous and unknown.

Itachi could only widen his eyes and tightened his grip around Sasuke when the strange gigantic orange creature with nine tails appeared out of nowhere in the distance, the village center being engulfed in its massive size.

* * *

I woke up to a splitting headache. It seemed I had fallen out of my bed. I looked at my shirt. It wasn't drenched. So it wasn't a dream. Standing up, I rubbed my head and went out of my room. Heading towards the kitchen, I opened the freezer and took an ice cube, before wrapping it in a few layers of tissue papers. Pressing it onto my head, I almost fell off my feet when I felt the ground shake.

An earthquake?

Another wave shook the earth beneath me, and I stumbled towards the dining table. Losing my balance, I tried to grab the edge of the table, but it was futile. As I lay on the floor, a piece of paper fell on top of me, seemingly grabbed by me as I fell. Picking it up, I read its contents, and the sight of mom's handwriting greeted me.

"Sorry that I had to leave in a hurry, dear. But just in case you wake up in the middle of the night, I'm going to the village center. I overslept and forgot that I had to meet someone. I'll be back soon.

"Love, mom"

I froze at the content. I sat like a statue until another wave passed by me. Shaking my head, I discarded the piece of paper and hurried out the door. Putting on my sandals, I pushed open the front door, and was not prepared for the sight that greeted me.

There, in the distance, looming over the village center was a gigantic creature with nine tails waving around like tendrils. Its figure looked like a human, but its other features discarded the notion as it looked more beastly than man.

Its eyes shined red as it glared down upon the village, the surrounding ninjas trying in futile attempts to bring it down. It waved its hand, and a building fell apart like paper.

I tried to steady myself, but my feet were shaking. I could barely keep myself standing. The only think keeping me on my feet was the fact that mom was out there in the village. I shouldn't try to be the hero. It was so unreasonable. It was downright suicidal.

But I couldn't rationalize myself. My only objective was finding mom. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

With a single-minded stubbornness, I set out to the village, not heeding the other civilians running away from the conflict, my short stature allowing me to blend in among them as I ran against the current.

* * *

 **Somebody mentioned how Mikoto wasn't supposed to know Kushina's status as a Jinchuuriki. Well, live with it. There will be some changes to a few inconsequential things in this story. Two of them, being what I mentioned above, and Shisui's age. If it's not that important to the overall plot and lore of Naruto, then changing it won't mean a whole lot to me.**

 **Like I said, some things are going to be changed in order to fit in. But they're not going to be overly glaring. Like, for this chapter's example, setting the Nine Tails attack to be set early in the morning of October 10th instead of the night of October 10th.**

 **So now, the prologue is coming to an end. After the Nine Tails attack, the main story will start. Other than what I said above, there's not much to say.**

 **Follow, Favorite, and Review. Especially reviews. While I already have a set draft on how the story will go from beginning to end, it's nice to hear some of your ideas and speculations.**


	7. Chapter 7: Happy Birthday! (Part 2)

**The Road of Life**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all its characters. I'm just playing around with them.**

* * *

Shisui felt a hand shake his shoulders. Even without fully opening his eyes, he knew that it was his father. Sitting up on his bed, Shisui let his eyes adjust to the darkness of his room. It was then that his father grabbed both of his shoulders, prompting Shisui to perk up in awareness.

"Shisui. Son," his father said, eyes grim.

"Dad?"

"I don't know what's happening, but go with the others to the safe house in the Hokage Monument. You remember the place, right?" his father asked. Shisui nodded in response, still not knowing what to make of the situation.

"Good boy," Seiji ruffled his head. "Whatever happens, don't go to the center of the village."

Itachi held his baby brother in his hand while his other hand held the hand of a girl his age. Despite how impractical it was, his instinct forbade him from just abandoning her. At the distance, Itachi could see Shisui running alongside the crowd towards the safe house. Itachi picked up his pace, hoping that the girl could follow along with no problem.

"Shisui-san!" Itachi called out. Shisui turned his back to look backwards, a look of relief washing over his face.

"Itachi! Do you know what's happening?"" he asked.

Itachi shook his head, still running. "I don't know. It looks like a tailed beast."

"A what?" Shisui asked, not being as well read as Itachi. The younger boy pointed to the distance, and Shisui could see the gigantic orange beast plowing and smashing its way through the village. If his eyes weren't fooling him, Shisui could've sworn that the beast had Sharingan for eyes, but it was too far for him to confirm. He could also see the village's ninjas running towards it, some looking to hold it off, while others trying to evacuate the citizens.

It wasn't long before they got to a safe house. Everyone from their district, as in, the compound and its surroundings, were huddled up inside the building as the ground shook like an earthquake. Shisui let out a sigh. He really wanted to do something, but he knew that it wouldn't matter. As of now, he would just be a hindrance, and the biggest help he could do was stay out of the way.

However, it wasn't long before a sense of dread came over him. Shisui looked around, but was instead greeted by a sea of bodies. Gritting his teeth, he poured chakra onto his feet and climbed the concrete wall beside him, glad that Itachi had found a nice spot near it. As he scanned the crowd from above, his dread grew bigger.

"Itachi," he called out. Itachi looked up from below, still holding his baby brother from the suffocating crowd. Shisui asked, "Where's Tora?"

Itachi shook his head and said, "I don't know."

* * *

I jumped over a railing and kept running, not minding that I stepped on some trash as I did so. Pouring chakra onto my feet, I climbed a wall to get a better vantage point. The gigantic beast became bigger as I got closer to it, so too were the quakes that followed its footsteps.

Amidst the village center, I saw nothing but destruction. Trees uprooted, buildings destroyed down to its bricks, and the dead bodies- there were a lot of them. I held back the bile at the back of my throat, hoping that mom wasn't among those bodies.

As I scanned the streets for signs of mom, I failed to notice a debris flying towards my direction. Gasping as I looked up, I narrowly avoided the misplaced projectile by dodging to the side. Another one soon followed, however, striking the beams that supported the structure I was on. Quickly jumping down from the building, I skidded and sled down a wall using chakra, but soon lost my bearings as my palm burned soon after the act and fell down in a heap towards a metal fence.

I cursed. Cursing the pain coursing through my arm, and cursing my imperfect chakra control. I knew that it wouldn't have done anything, but I cursed at the gigantic orange beast as well. Standing up shakily, I was greeted with a sight of red on my left. I put a hand up to my face and noticed the wetness. My head was bleeding. Touching the wound just above my left eyebrow with a finger, I winced in pain. It was probably going to scar. Ripping out the left sleeve of my shirt, I decided to use it as a makeshift bandage. It was better than nothing, at least until a medic took a look at it.

Again, I ran as fast as I could towards the center of the village. The beast loomed over me, covering the dark sky with its sunset-colored fur. I wondered what kind of beast it was, but was soon kicked out of my thoughts as a wind blew me off my feet.

 _Where did it come from!?_ I thought. I would've crashed against a wall had I not grabbed onto a nearby tree. To my surprise, the large wind came from the beast's tails. Judging from the size, I had no doubt that even a single swipe could flatten this whole area. I wasn't looking forward to that. Thankfully, it did not swipe its tail. It hand looked more like a sway as opposed to a swipe. Still, I coughed as I tried to get the dust out of my lungs.

As the wind died down, I went to one of the buildings, hoping to take shelter from the winds. I shouldn't stay long, though. If the building fell down, there was no way I could save myself out of it. The beast roared and I covered my ears.

A ninja ran past the building I was in towards the direction of the shelter. He was carrying a few children in his arms. He hadn't noticed me. As he ran out of sight, I took a peek outside and glanced at the direction the ninja came from. It seemed that the civilian deaths weren't as large as I had thought. The streets were mostly scarce of any sign of life.

 _Where could mom be?_

Seeing the fires and destruction looming over the village, I concluded that mom was somewhere indoors. However, if she were indoors, there was a chance that she could be in any of the collapsed building. The thought didn't sit well with me. With a boost of speed, I got out of the building I was in and sprinted towards the direction of the market, knowing that it was the only are that mom frequented.

In the distance, I could see many ninjas sprinting past the roof in an attempt to quell the beast. Leading the group of ninjas was an old man in a set of armor. He was holding a large staff, drawing the attention of the beast towards himself.

Seeing it as an opportunity, I continued to sprint and checked every intact building that I could come across, even as my vision was shrouded by dust from debris.

"Mom!" I called out, hoping that she would answer. I repeated the process as I went around the market. I kicked down windows, looked inside and found nothing. Gritting my teeth in frustration, I ran past a market stall when I noticed a small building with its light on- or most of its light, to be exact. The way the lights flickered told me of the damage it sustained. The place looked like an inn which also served as a bar.

Stepping inside the inn, I looked around for any sign of life. I was a bit disappointed to see that the place had been evacuated. Just a short distance of the entrance, I could see that the second floor had collapsed on the first floor, creating a gigantic mess of the place. I was about to turn around and leave the place when a familiar voice called out.

"H-hello?" the voice croaked. Whipping my body around, I ran past the debris in search of the voice, not caring if I got splinters on my hands. Pushing a wooden pillar off of my way with my small body, I gasped at the sight that greeted me.

"Mom!"

"T-Tora!?" she called. "What are you doing here? It's not safe!"

How very of much of her to worry about other people when she herself was in no better predicament. "Are you okay?" I asked her. She was lying down on her back and my eyes trailed down mom's legs, only noticing a large hunk of debris pinning her legs in place. Seeing its shape, it had probably been a part of the second floor. Scurrying towards her legs, I tried to lift the debris. I even tried pouring chakra into my limbs, but it was too heavy. "Damn it!"

"Tora, you have to get out of here!" mom called out to me. I paid her no mind, still trying to lift the debris off her legs. "Seiji!" she called.

I turned around and saw Shisui's father looking at us in shock. His Sharingan was activated, and I could see all three tomoes swirling as he took in the situation. "Help me, Seiji-san! Her legs are pinned in place!"

"Seiji! Take Tora out of here! The place could collapse at any moment!"

I didn't notice as the rest of the second floor fell down on us. The only thing I noticed was a force pulling me away from mom before I felt myself crashing against hard bricks. My head swam for a moment before completely blacking out.

* * *

"Damn it!" Seiji coughed. His headband fell off as the force of the impact loosened its hold around his head, letting his mop of hair follow the force of gravity. "Tora!" he called as he strained his neck to turn sideways, seeing the boy unconscious, but far enough from the debris that it didn't reach him. That was, unless the entire building fell down on them, sealing their fates together. He tried to move, but could only yell in pain as he finally felt something cold hold him in place.

He reached his hands out to feel the offending object, and felt a long metal rod stuck through his chest. Judging by how much blood was flowing, it had probably struck through his lungs. Seiji coughed out blood as the pain caught up to him. He also realized that the rod had held him in place about a foot off the ground, making the object grind against his wounds in a very painful manner.

Another set of coughs reached his ears and he looked down towards the ground. Right below him, lying on her back was Akemi. And the rod that went through him had gone through her as well, piercing her in the stomach. He would probably chuckle at the morbid humor if it had happened to anyone else. An earth jutsu could theoretically push the debris off of them, but it could just make things worse, destabilizing the structure even more, and earth wasn't one of his chakra natures, unfortunately. She coughed again, spilling blood down her chin.

"I-it's going to fall," she choked out. Sure enough, the rumbling of concrete grinding against each other didn't miss his ears, and Seiji had no doubt that the rest of the upper floor would fall down on them.

"Dad!?"

Whipping his head up to the direction of the call, Seiji saw his son, holding the unconscious Tora by the shoulder. Just realizing the predicament Seiji was in, Shisui froze in his steps. "Shisui. Get Tora out of here. The place could fall off at any moment!"

"I-I'm gonna get h-help!" Shisui choked out, tears streaming down his young face. Seiji could see it clearly, even as his vision blurred. The Sharingan within Shisui had awakened, and even with his eyes moist with tears, the infamous eyes glowed intensely in the dim light of the early morning.

As Shisui stumbled out of the falling inn with Tora on his shoulders, Seiji let out a sigh. His vision was blurring and the pain in his chest was going worse by the second. Blood loss was catching up to him. A piece of concrete fell down, almost grazing his left cheek. It seemed the place wouldn't hold out for much longer.

The shakings of the beast outside had seemed to stop. Either he was too numb for even his other senses not to pick it up, or the other ninjas had found a way to deal with it. Seiji didn't know. And frankly, he didn't care. Mustering his energy, he reached out to Akemi's face, too tired to move, and turned her head sideways, making sure she wasn't gurgling and drowning in her own blood. A small stream of blood cascaded from her lips to the ground.

"We're not going to make it, are we?" Akemi asked, almost whispering. Seiji wanted to tell her everything would be okay. That they would get out of here and reunite with their sons. Shisui and Tora could continue their training. He would oversee it, teach them things, and come to their entrance ceremony. He shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself. None of those thoughts would bring him anything but additional sorrow.

"No, we're not," Seiji answered. "Not without bringing the building down in the process."

"It hurts," she cried.

"It'll soon be over."

A blanket of silence washed over them, and Akemi spoke up again, her eyes still looking towards the door. Seiji wondered if she could see the boys' retreating backs from her position.

"They're alone," Akemi spoke up. It took Seiji a moment to realize who she was referring to.

"They're not," he replied. "They have *cough* each other. And they will find others."

"I'm afraid for them," she cried, no longer holding back.

"They're strong," Seiji assured. "You saw their growth, didn't you?"

"What if they lose the other?"

"They'll drag themselves back to each other again, sooner or later" he wheezed out. "I can see them doing that, can't you?"

Akemi chuckled with a mix of coughs and said, "I- *cough* wouldn't be surprised."

"It's a *cough* shame," Seiji said. "I couldn't be a father to Tora before *cough* this happened."

"He already looked up to you like one," Akemi said. "Even if he never *cough* showed it outright."

As Seiji felt the rest of the structure falling down on them, all he saw was Akemi's sad smile before everything went dark.

* * *

Minato had successfully teleported the Nine Tails to the safe house Kushina and Naruto were in. Unfortunately, it exploded as soon as he arrived there. Although, he managed just in time to grab Kushina and Naruto to safety. Looking back at the Nine Tails, Minato steeled himself. "Gotta put up a barrier…"

But before he could do anything, chakra chains sprouted from Kushina's back, creating a barrier to hold the beast in its place. At that moment, Naruto decided to wake up, filling the air with his cry. His voice was so loud that it had almost made Minato forget of the Nine Tails. _Such strong lungs,_ Minato thought.

"Sorry, Naruto… I didn't mean to wake you," Kushina said to her crying baby.

"Kushina…"

Kushina turned to Minato, where he could see blood streaming down her chin, as well as the tired bags under her eyes. "I'll drag the Nine Tails back… and die with it inside me. That'll prevent it from coming back… for a while. It's the only way to save you both…with the little bit of chakra I have left," she said. Then she smiled, a tired smile, but nonetheless genuine. "Thank you… for everything."

Minato gasped and his shoulders shook, even as he was holding Naruto in his hands, he could feel his hands numbing. "Kushina, you… you made me your husband. _You_ made me the Fourth Hokage. You made me this boy's father, and I…"

"Don't look so sad, Minato," Kushina still smiled. "I'm… I'm happy. Happy that you loved me. Happy that it's our son's birthday. Like, if I try to imagine surviving, and the three of us… living together. I can't think of anything beyond 'I'd be so happy'."

It was then that Minato could hold back no longer. The tears erupted, streaming down his cheeks. His lips quivered, seeing his wife looking with longing at their son. He had wanted it to work. His family. Their family. Since he had saved Kushina all those years ago, he had imagined this moment. He had imagined fatherhood, watching their son grow up. But it was not to be, it seemed.

"If I had any regrets… it would be that I won't see Naruto grow up."

Minato lowered his head, half-lidded eyes looking at Naruto's crying form. Minato cursed his short life. Cursed the situation. Cursed the masked man for doing this. Naruto shouldn't have to suffer for this.

 _"Not everything needs to be complicated, Tora-kun. Sometimes, the hardest questions have the simplest answers."_

"No!" Minato said.

"What?"

"You will see Naruto grow up!" Minato said, his gaze hardened as he wiped away his tears.

Kushina blinked, the confusion evident in her eyes. "But the Nine Tails has been extracted from me. If you seal it in me again, I'll die along with it!"

"We won't know until we try. I'll do anything for you to live, Kushina. It's my job as the Hokage, and a father, to protect his family! And I'll be damned if I fail at that!"

"Minato…"

"I will use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to finish the job," Minato said. Kushina widened her eyes, knowing the consequences of said jutsu.

"But then, the user of that jutsu will-

"But I'll only be able to seal half of it. Its power is too great, and with your failing body, I doubt it could contain the entirety of it. Not only that, but I can't let a tailed beast be revived without a Jinchuuriki. It would create an imbalance among the tailed beasts. Which is why, I'll seal the Yin half in you, Kushina."

"And the Yang half?" Kushina asked, not liking where this was going.

Minato looked at their baby. "Will be sealed in Naruto. I will use the Eight Trigrams Seal for Naruto, and the Torii Seal for you, Kushina."

"But, Naruto-

"I know what you want to say, Kushina. But Jiraiya-sensei spoke of an impending disaster upon the world; a revolution. And I'm sure that the masked man that attacked us earlier is the harbinger of that disaster. And Naruto… Naruto will stop him, I just know it. With you by his side, if you survive the sealing."

"But Minato-

"Have faith, Kushina. Your husband is the Fourth Hokage, after all," said Minato, as he did the proper seal for the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.

 **SNAKE**

 **BOAR**

 **RAM**

 **RABBIT**

 **DOG**

 **RAT**

 **BIRD**

 **HORSE**

 **SNAKE**

And with it, Minato finished the jutsu by clapping his hands. A white specter appeared behind Minato, it gnarly face seeing the situation with lifeless emotion. Between its teeth was a knife, while its white hair cascaded down its form, its end tangling with a colorless humanoid form. Minato could feel his soul being pulled out, ready to be the necessary sacrifice for the entire process.

Seeing the ghostly specter, Kushina was shaken out of her shock. She yelled to Minato, "But, why the Dead Demon Seal!? There's no reason for you to die! You have a higher chance of surviving than me! You could be there for him! You could raise him! Why are you sacrificing yourself for me!? A dying jinchuuriki!"

Minato was silent for a moment, waiting for Kushina to finish. Kushina heaved tiredly; her outburst had taken out more than she had thought.

"Turning your back on the country, the village, is just as bad as abandoning your family. You should understand, Kushina. Your own country fell apart, and you were a witness to it. You know the pain of growing up without a home, and I don't want Naruto to feel that."

Kushina looked down at the ground, remembering the near-forgotten memories of her old village. A village that was near non-existent now, its members fled to the far sides of the world looking to get new lives.

"And remember, Kushina. We are a family of Shinobi," Minato continued.

 _A shinobi must endure. A shinobi must protect. And a shinobi must fight_. Those were the three obligations Kushina forced upon herself upon becoming a ninja. To her, those were what becoming a ninja meant. How could she forget? She had rammed it into her mind since she was young.

"Besides," Minato said. "Even if I were to live, I wouldn't be able to substitute for you."

"What do you mean?"

"There are things Naruto needs to be told, things I could never say myself. That's the mother's job, and I need you to carry it out. And if this works out, you'll have the entirety of his life to do it," Minato said. "Dying to make a better life for his son… No. For his family. That's the stuff you let the father handle. As your husband. As Naruto's father. And as your Hokage, I trust you with this, Kushina!"

Upon meeting Minato's steeled eyes; Kushina could do nothing but relent under his gaze. Minato was prepared for his death. That could not be denied, whether by proof of his words, or even the conviction within his eyes. He was prepared, and nothing could deter him from his chosen path.

Kushina took a few steps back and put Naruto on the ground. "Sorry, Naruto," she said, as the boy bristled at losing contact with his mother. "I'm ready!" Kushina said to Minato. He nodded, and clasped his hands. Not a moment later, the Shinigami's hand, covered in black markings, flew through him right towards the Nine Tails. Kushina tigihtened the chains holding the Nine Tails at bay, not letting the beast escape as the sealing began.

The Shinigami's hand latched on to the Nine Tails' leg, at which the beast growled. "Seal!" Minato said, and the hand yanked back, pulling a portion of the Nine Tails' chakra and sealing it within Kushina. As the Yin half entered Kushina, she felt her heart jolt at the sudden but familiar presence of the beast within her. Kushina fell down of her feet and sunk to her knees as her legs went numb under the pressure, clutching her stomach in pain as the seal acclimatized itself in her. The beast struck and hollered in an attempt to escape, letting forth another wave of pain within Kushina. She let out a pained yell.

Seeing the urgency of the situation, Minato did a few seals and pressed his palms on the ground. "Now for the Eight Trigrams Seal! I'm going to seal the rest of the Nine Tails inside Naruto!"

Gently picking up Naruto, Minato put him on the ceremonial crib. Naruto was sleeping, probably too tired from the all the crying he did. Minato brushed a finger on the boy's cheek, treasuring the last contact he would have before being devoured by the Death God.

Kushina wobbled, and leaned down on her hands. She was losing consciousness. Minato caught sight of her from the corner of his eyes, and his mind was already reeling a few dozen steps ahead. If Kushina was weakening, then the barrier and the chains would start weakening as well. Standing up from his position by Naruto, Minato clasped his hands once more and stilled for two seconds. In the short time span, he gathered all the nature energy he could take in. He prided himself in his control and balance, but knew that the amount he took in wouldn't be enough to be very effective.

And sure enough, the rattle of chakra chains could be heard in the distance. The Nine Tails had understood their plan. He was going to strike Naruto. Kushina, despite her lack of energy, rushed forward in front of Naruto, back towards the Nine Tails, her motherly instincts kicking in. Minato, however, rushed behind her thanks to his superior speed and released all the nature energy he had gathered evenly within his body.

 **SAGE MODE!**

As the claw of the beast struck them, all went silent for a second. Kushina had closed her eyes, anticipating herself for the pain. But there was none. Blinking drowsily, she turned her head back, and saw Minato holding the beast's claw in hand after it got through him. Minato's blood painted the claw in dark red, and the beast growled in anger. The strain on his face was evident as he clutched the claw in his torso, both him and the beast fighting for dominance. Red markings had appeared around his eyes and his pupils had changed, signifying a perfect Sage Mode. But he couldn't hold it for long.

"Get away, Kushina!" Minato yelled. Kushina did so, and after jumping far enough, Minato let go of the claw, letting it sink into the ground in front of him with a crash, pinning him completely in place. The ground cracked at the sheer force of the blow, and Kushina barely struggled to stand as she took in the sight in front of her. Kushina wanted to cry, but her desire to protect Naruto prevented her from doing so. Instead, she tightened the chakra chains on her back, feeling a burst of adrenaline course through her. The Nine Tails groaned as the chains wrapped around him once again, this time, tighter than before.

The markings around Minato's eyes disappeared, letting his natural blue-colored eyes return. "Thank you, Kushina…" he said, coughing up blood as his eyes barely struggled to keep themselves open. Minato wiped a streak of blood from his chin with a finger and pressed it into his other palm. With it, he summoned Gamatora. The scroll-frog took a second to take in the situation he was in. As he realized it, the frog's jaw fell open.

"Aahh! The Nine Tails! And Fourth, what the hell happened to you!?" the frog hollered, panicking at the sight of the tailed beast, but the sight of one of his contractors put the situation in an even dire light.

"Gamatora… I'm entrusting you with the key to the seal," Minato said as he opened Gamatora's stomach and started writing the necessary seal markings for both the Eight Trigrams Seal and the Torii Seal with his blood. "Hurry to Jiraiya-sensei. Store it with him."

Gamatora closed his stomach and jumped up, letting smoke engulf him as he de-summon himself. "Got it! Good-goodbye!" the frog said, the crack in his voice nearly impossible to miss.

Minato turned his eyes to Kushina, and he knew that his time was up. It was time to finish all this. "It's time for me to go, Kushina. I'll perform the Eight Trigrams Seal and leave a little of my own chakra in Naruto." Kushina let the tears flow freely. There was no need for pretense. No need for masks anymore. Kushina let her feelings out, still clutching her stomach.

"Do y-you have anything to say to Naruto?" Kushina asked. She dropped down to kneel beside the boy, waiting for Minato to speak out his last words.

Minato smiled tiredly, and with cough, began to say, "Naruto… Listen to your motor-mouth of a mother. She may seem like nagging at times, but know that it is all done out of love. Find a dream, fight for it, and make friends. Fight for what you believe to be right. I'm sorry that I can't see you grow, Naruto…"

Minato looked at Kushina, the wife who was crying her eyes out. Minato didn't shed any tears. He already shed his share. It was now time for action. Clasping his hands in front of the baby Naruto, Minato said, "I love you, Kushina."

 **Eight Trigrams Seal!**

* * *

Hiruzen looked down at the dead body of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage. His eyes were closed in peace, having come to terms with his death. Hiruzen wished most young men had such luxury of choosing their deaths. As the medic pulled a veil over Minato's body, Hiruzen walked out of the morgue to head towards Kushina and Naruto's room. Before going ahead with the funeral, he needed to check up on surprisingly, two of their Jinchuurikis.

Hiruzen knocked on the door, and a small "come in" came from the room. Twisting the knob, he let himself in, and found Kushina gently rocking a sleeping Naruto in her arms. She put on a smile, but Hiruzen knew that the loss of her husband was still fresh in her mind. He grieved for his wife as well, understanding the young woman's feelings at the moment.

"Kushina," Hiruzen announced himself, which prompted Kushina to turn her head towards Hiruzen. "I see you've recovered enough to sit up on your bed."

The young woman nodded and looked down, staring through Naruto. It seemed her mind was elsewhere, and so, Hiruzen waited for her to respond, letting the conversation proceed on her pace. "I'm sorry for Biwako-sama," she said.

Hiruzen looked down, mourning his longtime wife and lifetime partner. "I'm sorry for Minato as well, Kushina," he replied. He empathized with her, but Biwako knew what she was signing up for when she agreed to help a Jinchuuriki give birth. Although, in a sense, Minato also did what was expected of him, being the Hokage, after all. "What do you intend to do now?"

Kushina was silent for a moment as she looked out the hospital window. Naruto squirmed in her hand as he realized that the rocking had stopped, and had woken up to wonder why. Hiruzen waited patiently. The civilian casualties as well as ninja casualties were being counted as they spoke. The next order of business was to take care of the loose ends, and take care of their assets. He hated thinking of Kushina and baby Naruto as that, but they were a village of Shinobi. Practicality runs in their blood, their culture.

"When Naruto's old enough, perhaps two years or older," Kushina started. "I will return to active duty. Maybe take some Genin students as well."

"Are you sure?" Hiruzen asked. "While that would certainly be nice, remember the things contained within you and Naruto, Kushina."

"I know," she said. "Naruto will need guidance on being a Jinchuuriki. And I need some training of my own, it seems. The Cloud Village's Killer Bee is a perfect jinchuuriki, yes?"

"True. Minato said as much in his reports, of how the man could utilize the tailed beast within him with little to no repercussions," Hiruzen said. "But our relation with the Cloud Village isn't the best right now, especially after the war."

"I understand that," Kushina said. "Maybe I can find some other way."

"That would be nice, yes," Hiruzen smiled. "But now you need your rest. I'll be leaving you here. Take care, Kushina."

Kushina smiled at the gesture. As the door closed, her smile dropped. She looked at Naruto, still squirming as he wondered why she wasn't rocking him, but not making a fuss, probably too tired to do so, anyway. Kushina didn't blame him. It was tiring for her, let alone a baby- and a newborn at that.

"Don't worry, Naruto," Kushina nuzzled her nose in Naruto's hair. "Mommy will be strong. Strong enough to stand by your side. I promise you that."

* * *

Shisui looked out the window of his house. The sky was dark as rain clouds gathered. He could smell the rain, but it hadn't started raining yet. As if the rain was waiting for the funeral to finish before plummeting down to the earth. The funeral after the Nine Tails attack was to be joined by all the villagers to mourn the deaths of their friends and family, and most importantly, the Fourth Hokage, who lost his life to save the village. Even from the window of his house, Shisui could see his clansmen walking along the streets in black ceremonial clothes, the color of mourning.

He had already worn his own set. He was about to leave his house to join the mass when Tora woke up from the realm of unconsciousness. After saving Tora and asking a wayward ninja to save their parents, Shisui immediately went to his house, feeling that the cramped safe house Itachi was in wouldn't be good for Tora's wound. And if it got infected, he didn't want to risk anyone else catching something from it. After wrapping Tora's head in proper bandages, Shisui waited for his father in front of his house. Tora wouldn't need his bandages changed for a few more hours, and he figured he wouldn't wake up for a few more, and so Shisui waited.

As he watched his clansmen and the other villagers return to their house – those that still had theirs intact anyway, he kept an eye out for his father or Tora's mother. He knew he had awakened his Sharingan after the ordeal, but he figured that using the eye at such state would just leave him exhausted. As the sun cracked across the horizon, Shisui still sat in front of his porch. He didn't know why he kept sitting there. At this point, he already knew the answer.

He and Tora were now orphans. At first he had entertained the thought that their parents had taken refuge in Tora's house, but he didn't see that happening. Not with their injuries. From the glimpse he got, they were either dead or in the hospital. But Shisui was a realistic person. He also knew the answer to that already.

Closing the curtain, Shisui stepped away from the window and stared at the direction of the kitchen, where Tora was quietly eating a meager meal that Shisui had prepared for him. He had told Tora of their parents' death and Shisui didn't know what to think of his reaction. Shisui expected tearful questions, even denial. None of that came. Tora just turned his gaze towards the food and stared at it, his hand clenching the chopsticks set beside the meal. After a second or two, the tears came, but silent. Not even a sob or a hiccup erupted from Tora. He just cried there, staring at his food silently. Shisui had left the kitchen, deciding that Tora needed some time to take in the news.

Walking back into the kitchen, Shisui saw that Tora was halfway done with his meal. His eyes were red, but the tears had stopped. Shisui had shed his tears hours ago, feeling too tired to shed some more. He moved on quick. He was supposed to. With his father's job as a ninja, every day on a mission could be his father's last.

"You're not going?"

Shisui looked up from his musings, surprised that it was the first thing that came from Tora, even after the news he had told his friend. "I don't feel like it." Shisui pulled a chair and sat in front of Tora on the table. "Unless you want to go."

Tora shook his head. Finishing his meal, he put the chopsticks down. "Shisui. The ice water's in the fridge like usual, right?" he asked.

Shisui was about to say yes when he remembered something. Moving down from the chair, he stepped in front of Tora. "Let me take it for you. You just sit right there." A fake smile was plastered on his face, and it was obvious that Tora did not buy into it a single bit.

"It's fine, Shisui. I already saw the birthday cake in there."

Shisui froze for a second, but nonetheless, stopped blocking Tora and let him pass. With a yank, Tora pulled the fridge open and took a bottle of ice water, not even looking at the small cake with simple decorations on the top shelf. He closed it with little ceremony and poured the content of the bottle into a small cup.

"What now?" Tora asked. Shisui turned to Tora, seeing his friend absentmindedly staring out the kitchen window.

"You'll probably have to go to the orphanage," Shisui said. "As for me, I would be placed with a close relative if I have one."

"But you don't."

Shisui shrugged. "The clan would have to take care of me for a while, at least until I become a ninja. Speaking of that, do you still want to become a ninja?" Shisui asked, knowing Tora's motivation on becoming a ninja. Now that his mother was… gone, he didn't exactly have a driving force anymore.

"I think so," Tora replied. "Well… I've spent so much time preparing to be one. Although, I think I'll wait for a while before entering the academy."

"I'll wait with you," Shisui said, clasping a hand on Tora's shoulder.

"I might start really late," Tora tried to dissuade his friend.

Shisui chuckled and said, "I don't care. I'm not starting if you're not starting, unless you specifically say you're not going to become a ninja. Only then will I start on my own."

Tora looked at him, eyes narrowed in frustration. But soon, his gaze melted as he turned towards the floor. "Thank you," he said. Shisui only smiled as his hands tightened around Tora's shoulder.

"What to do with the cake, though?" Tora asked.

"The cake?"

"I don't feel like eating it, to be honest," Tora shrugged. Inwardly, Shisui admitted to the same thing. The cake only brought more unwanted feelings for him and Tora.

"I have an idea!"

* * *

Kushina gazed out the window for the hundredth time that morning. The funeral for her husband had been done, and now the village was in the stage of mourning and rebuilding. She could see workers already piling up materials, while a few ninjas were using earth jutsus to repair what they could to minimize the damage, at least until the workers got to it.

"Uzumaki-san," called a nurse from the door. Kushina turned her head, and noticed that the nurse was pushing a cart. _Hospital food,_ she thought, already grimacing at the thought. It seemed the nurse caught her grimace as she only chuckled as she put the tray in front of her.

Opening it, Kushina saw the usual assortment of rice and vegetables, barely salted, as well as a piece of meat, also barely salted. She held in a groan, but she knew that she needed the energy. She would have to feed Naruto and doing that without feeding herself is a big no for her.

A small plate by the side caught her attention, though. A neatly sliced chocolate cake sat there innocently with a small fork by its side. The nurse noticed her curious gaze as she also turned her eyes towards the slice of cake.

"Ah, we don't normally give sweet pastries to patients, but we think that given the incident earlier this morning, that's not a bad decision. Two boys came to the hospital earlier today and gave a box of cake to the receptionist, saying that it's for the patients. How sweet of them," the nurse said.

"Really? Give them my thanks, will you?" Kushina said, thankful for the added pastry. She didn't think she'd be able to stomach hospital food that well.

"They had set off before we could ask anything," the nurse said. "We didn't even catch their names."

Kushina sighed. "That's a shame. Thank you for the meal, anyway," she said to the nurse.

"Of course," the nurse nodded. "I'll be back later to take the tray." She left the room, leaving Kushina with her meal. Kushina looked at her meal, deciding that she would eat the cake first before digging into her bland vegetable and meat set.

Taking a bite, she knew that it was store-bought, having cooked her fair share of cakes on her own. But at this moment, she felt like it was the most delicious thing since ramen.

* * *

 **Hey-ho! Very late update, right? Yes, it is very late. But at least second semester finals are over! Thankfully, my scores are fine.**

 **But aside from that, this is the final chapter of the current arc, which I call the "Prologue Arc". Next chapter onward, the main story will start (finally, right?).**

 **I was debating very much on how to write Minato and Kushina's part, but I settled on making it go similarly to canon, but adding in different touches as well. Some of you may have notice my penchant for writing Tora by viewing him from a canon character's perspective. It's a style I really like. Honestly, my gripe with most OC stories is that they know too much about the Naruto world, and reading about them thinking about their knowledge can feel tiring at times. With viewing Tora from another's perspective, I can avoid the pitfall trap that is Mary Sue-ish characters. We know that he is thinking something, but do we know what he's thinking? You can't get that kind of perspective if we only see the story from Tora's POV.**

 **Thank you all for the reviews. Wow. Six chapters and already 32 reviews and nearly 200 followers? I'm flattered. Really, I am. Any chance we might reach 50 reviews before chapter 10? I really like to read your thoughts. Be sure to leave a review and follow and favorite as well. Seeing even more reviews and new followers drives me to write faster.**

 **Anyway, see ya!**


	8. Chapter 8: Try Being Friendlier

**The Road of Life**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all its characters. I'm just playing around with them.**

* * *

 _My eyelids felt heavy, but I still tried to open them. It took quite the effort, but when I did, I was greeted with a hand putting something on my forehead. A compress? A wet towel? My head felt hot. Unbearably so. It felt like a fever. It took nearly everything out of me not to swat the wet towel off my head._

" _Izumi?" I called out through my fever. She answered me with a hum, and I sighed in relief knowing that I wasn't alone. I didn't think I could bear it, knowing what happened just a few days before. "Where are we?" I asked._

 _Izumi took a seat next to me, and I realized that I was in a sleeping bag on the ground, and that we were in a cave while the rain raged outside. "Away from Konoha," she answered curtly._

 _I took her answer in. "Good," I sighed in relief. But she only glared at me._

" _You never told me what happened," she said. "Why did Itachi-_

" _Later, Izumi," I dismissed her. I turned around in my sleeping bag, but I didn't miss the look of disbelief and anger directed towards me. "We'll talk about it later," I said, hoping that she won't pursue the subject._

 _Thankfully, she didn't. "You said you have a friend in the capital?" she asked instead._

" _I do," I answered her. I didn't know if she was going to continue with her questions, but I wouldn't blame her if she did. There were a lot of unanswered questions, and she knew that I had the answer to most of them._

" _Get some rest, then" she spoke with finality. She quietly laid her own sleeping bag and entered it. I still kept my silent, not trusting my voice and my fevered mind to soothe her._

 _It would only make things worse anyway._

* * *

I woke up with clothes drenched with sweat from another forgotten dream. It took me a moment to realize that I was in my room; the room I had been sharing for two years with five other children. I glanced outside the window and noticed the position of the sun, silently cursing the other children for not waking me up.

"Ah… I'm late."

* * *

Itachi glanced at the empty seat next to Shisui on the row furthest to the back. It had been about a week since their days at the academy started, and Itachi couldn't help but glance at Tora's seat worriedly. While the older boy was never much of an early riser after the Nine Tails attack, he was never late to class either. Shisui, despite being a bit uneasy over Tora's tardiness, didn't seem to be that worried, as if he knew Tora's reason to be late.

The teacher continued to speak in front of the class, boring the students with his droning voice. Even Itachi had to admit that he was getting bored as well, especially since he had already studied this particular material with Shisui and Tora. Ever since their parents died, both Shisui and Tora had been going to Itachi's house more often. Not that he minded, and neither did Sasuke, for that matter. His brother had warmed up considerably to the two boys, and often times, either Tora or Shisui would even play with Sasuke when he couldn't.

Itachi held back a yawn from coming out of him, something Shisui didn't even bother doing. Glancing to his right, Itachi caught a glimpse of Izumi Uchiha shyly turning her head to the front to avoid his gaze. Ever since they had met during the Nine Tails attack, the girl would often find the time to watch him train or even look at him from afar. He had always noticed her, of course. Although, the presence of either Shisui or Tora, but mostly Tora, would usually scare her off, to which he wasn't sure he liked or not. It wasn't that he liked the attention, but he never minded it either. She never got in his way, and if he were to be honest, he found her shy gazes a bit endearing.

His thoughts were interrupted, however, when his sharp ears caught the sound of small footsteps outside on the walls. Turning his head, Itachi saw Tora peeking inside the room, cradling his school bag to his chest, and hanging upside down from the half-open class window. Fortunately, the teacher was too absorbed in droning on to hear Tora's steps. Mastering the art of walking on walls had certainly opened a lot of doors for their training possibilities, and his chakra control has improved drastically after Shisui and Tora had taught him how to walk on walls as well as water, although, he wasn't sure if he agreed with Tora's method of breaking in.

Tora planted his eyes on Itachi and made a shushing gesture with his fingers. Itachi merely raised an eyebrow. Shisui, however, had the corners of his mouth slowly curling upwards in amusement. Tora crawled upside down on the ceiling as he entered the class, carefully minding himself over the half-open window. He had his hands and feet latched onto the ceiling's surface, slowly crawling as to not make a sound.

Thankfully, Shisui was sitting on the furthest row on the back which had very few other students. And the ones that were there were either sleeping or busy taking notes. Once he was in position, Tora unlatched his feet and hung from the ceiling with his hands, before letting go of his chakra control and smoothly sitting himself next to Shisui.

"Bad dream?" Shisui whispered to Tora. The other boy just shrugged before putting his bag under the desk without taking out his notebook, knowing that the current period would be over soon.

"What did I miss?" Tora asked Shisui.

Shisui shrugged. "Not much, really. It's stuff we've covered by ourselves a few weeks back. I have to say, the academy is more boring than I expected," Shisui said, in which Tora hummed in agreement.

"What do we have next?" Tora asked.

"Chakra control lessons, I think?"

Tora sighed, already dreading on doing mostly nothing for the next period. Sure, his chakra control might not be perfect yet, but the three of them had already mastered the basics for the most part. Shisui was also not looking forward for the next period, but like the days before, they just had to get through it for now.

It wasn't long before the bell ringed, which marked the end of the current period. Like most bored academy instructors, the one that had been teaching them left the room none the wiser, not realizing the late addition of a student. The rest of the students filed out of the class to head to the courtyard for chakra training, and the three boys followed the other children dutifully.

While the other students were struggling with the leaf exercise, the three boys had done it on their first try, much to the surprise of the instructors, and were now sitting on a bench while looking at the others.

"This is boring," Tora sighed. Even Itachi had to agree. He wished he had brought some sort of reading material, but the books he brought were all textbooks. Some of the students looked at them, and the three boys didn't need to look at each set of eyes to know how many people were doing it.

The girls were looking in admiration, mostly at Itachi and Shisui. Their clan's name was no secret, even among the children. The boys were looking at them with jealousy, either because they had the attention of the girls, or because they had finished with the leaf exercise before the others. The instructors, however, were looking at them with uncertainty and a bit of wariness.

The instructors' wary gazes did not stop, even during the next period of lessons, which was physical exercise. The fact that they aced most of the exercises was enough for one of the instructors to send a letter to the Hokage after school hours ended, asking for advice on the three boys.

For the next day, the three boys were called to the headmaster's office, informing them that while they would still stay in the same homeroom, they would be having lessons with a more advanced class. Itachi didn't mind the change, and neither did Shisui and Tora, who looked visibly more relieved than he was. Satisfied with the boys' responses, the head instructor dismissed them back to class, saying that their new schedule would start the very next day. For now, they would have to follow their usual schedule.

It was a free period, and so Tora opened the door to their homeroom, not looking back at the stares from their peers. Itachi pressed on to his usual seat, while Tora and Shisui went to the furthest row in the back. Unfortunately, before Tora could get into his seat, a sandaled foot planted itself in his path, stopping Tora from taking a step further.

"What did the instructors want with you three, huh?" asked a boy with light brown hair. His hair reached down to his upper back, and its messy spikes framed around his face like a mane. Itachi had to hold back a flinch at the boy's behavior. What was his name? Shirsu? Sansu? Tora, however, did not grace the boy with an answer, which visibly irked him.

"I, Saisu Kamano, challenge you to a duel!" the boy proclaimed boldly, pointing at Tora's face. Even Shisui looked a bit worried by now, afraid that Tora would simply grab Saisu's outstretched finger and dislocate it. He had never done such a thing, at least not to the knowledge of Shisui and Itachi, but they wouldn't put it past the boy to do it. It seemed that Saisu was not deterred, even with the obvious height difference between them. Tora wasn't freakishly tall, but he was still a good few centimeters taller than Shisui.

"Why?" Tora sighed, seemingly exasperated

Saisu bristled, "You three always act so high and mighty, prancing around and getting special attention from the instructors! I guess I'm not surprised with the Uchihas, but you're just like the rest of us!"

Saisu jammed a finger at Tora's chest, seemingly not intimidated by Tora's blank stare and superior height over him. This time, Itachi couldn't hold back a flinch from appearing on his face. Shisui's eyes were narrowed, seemingly ready to interfere. "I'm going to put you in your place!" Saisu exclaimed, a seemingly proud smirk on his face.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Itachi could see Izumi rising from her seat and walking towards the two boys. "Guys!" she called out. "You don't have to fight. We might get in trouble with the instructors!"

"Stay out of this, Izumi!" Saisu retorted. "This is between us men!"

Tora scoffed, finally breaking his silent act.

"What's so funny!?" Saisu demanded.

"Nothing you'd understand," Tora pocketed his hands.

"Why, you!" Saisu growled, before quickly pulling out a training kunai from a pouch behind him. Despite being a training kunai, it was still sharp enough to pierce through skin given enough pressure. Izumi screamed in fright, while Shisui and Itachi moved towards Saisu, having already expected some kind of action from the boy.

It was all over in a flash with Tora knocking the kunai off his hand. Before Saisu could retaliate, Tora planted his hand on Saisu's head and pushed it down onto the nearest desk. Itachi promptly took hold of Saisu's wrists and held it in place, while Shisui caught the falling training kunai in mid-air and placed it near Saisu's throat, holding the boy in place.

Itachi turned to look at Tora's face. Most wouldn't have caught it, but both he and Shisui could see how Tora's gaze lingered for a moment before focusing on Saisu, as if his mind hadn't yet caught up with his actions. Itachi wasn't surprised. The intense training Tora undertook with him and Shisui had certainly paid off. After all, it was the only way for a normal boy like Tora could keep up with two boys with Sharingan.

The Sharingan allowed an Uchiha to perceive their surroundings much better, which helps with their reaction time. It was like telling where an attack would land, intercepting said attack before it even happened. With how fast their eyes react, their bodies would get used to the hastened reaction time. Tora's eyes would never keep up with the likes of the Sharingan, but his body could. Even if his eyes would never perceive the world like Itachi or Shisui, there was no reason for his body to lag behind.

If his eyes couldn't react fast enough, then the rest of his body would have to do, which produced the instinctual-like reaction that had been on display in front of their classmates. Of course, simply reacting without understanding was bound to produce its own set of problems, but they were problems that Shisui and Itachi would gladly help Tora through.

"What is going on here?" one of the teachers said, entering the room. The scene in front of him certainly did not paint the three of them in a good light, although Itachi were more worried of what happened if his father heard of it rather than the actual repercussions from the academy.

"They attacked me, sensei!" Saisu cried out from his position. Shisui and Tora looked down at Saisu unimpressed, while Izumi looked like she was about to go to shock. Itachi himself kept his face devoid of any emotion, calmly watching the teacher's reaction. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to harbor any hostile feelings within his gaze, opting instead to look at the three of them tiredly.

"You three!" the teacher pointed. "Come with me."

Itachi and Tora let go of Saisu, while Shisui threw the training kunai away from the boy's reach. Izumi walked up to Itachi, her face red and her hands clasped in front of her. "I'm sorry, Itachi. This wouldn't have happened if I had been more forceful."

"It's fine, Izumi," Itachi smiled. "We'll be fine." The class was still silent as the three boys exited the class. Even Saisu, with his satisfied expression, did not deliver any more jabs.

* * *

"You three are not making this easy," the teacher said as the four of them walked out of the academy.

"We're sorry for any inconveniences we made," Itachi apologized. Shisui offered an apologetic smile, while Tora simply kept his gaze on the road.

"Well. I guess I should've expected this kind of behavior from the boys in your class. If there's anything I'm certain to exist in any year, it's the competitive streak the boys have. And I guess one of them didn't react well to the situation, huh?"

"It's mostly on Tora, though. They're not that surprised that Itachi and I are far ahead of them," Shisui explained. The teacher looked thoughtfully at Tora for a second before sighing loudly.

"Where are we going?" Tora cut in, finally looking at their escort.

"The Hokage Tower," the teacher said. "There are some things that need to be discussed."

"I thought the academy has already sorted our curriculum. What is there to discuss?" Shisui asked.

"It's not about the academy. Regarding that, there isn't anything left to be said until you boys actually start on your new schedule."

"Then what is it?" Tora asked.

"I'm not informed on the matter, but Hokage-sama should keep you boys up to speed on the matter," said the instructor.

The three boys looked at one another, prompting a silent conversation between them. The teacher looked at them, mostly noting on how in-sync they were with each other. It was rare, bar the Ino-Shika-Cho formation, to have three academy students already getting along so well. It was certainly no argument on how they were going to be placed as a team.

* * *

"Ah," Hiruzen greeted the three boys as they entered his office. "Itachi-kun, Shisui-kun, and Tora-kun, am I correct?"

They nodded as the academy teacher said his farewells, saying that he still had assignments to be taken care of. Hiruzen only nodded, not taking his eyes off the three boys. It was only the four of them now, not counting the Anbu stationed just above his office ceiling at all times, in case of emergencies.

"You wished to see us, Hokage-sama?" Itachi asked, not a single hair off in his display of politeness. Hiruzen moved on to the other boys, noting how similar their stances were.

"Yes. It has come to my attention that the three of you will be placed in a higher level class, correct?" Hiruzen replied.

"Yes," Itachi answered. Interestingly, Hiruzen noted how Shisui and Tora left Itachi to do most of the talking. A silent agreement among them? Young Itachi did seem to be the most level headed among them. Considering his upbringing and how different it was to Shisui and Tora, Hiruzen wasn't surprised.

"Congratulations," Hiruzen smiled. "In this time of peace, it's not often that we speed up a student's lessons. After all, there's no immediate need for it. But considering your capabilities, I'd say you've all earned it."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Itachi bowed lightly. Shisui and Tora mimicked his movements, but still didn't say a word.

"Now that we've gotten the formalities aside," Hiruzen continued, his smile dropping from his face. "Would you like to explain your occasional late-night escapades, boys?"

Their faces did not seem to be shocked, but Hiruzen could see their shoulders stiffening. The three of them looked at each other uncertainly before planting his gaze back at him.

"Were we not discreet enough?" Itachi asked. Hiruzen almost chuckled. Trust the three of them to see the problem as their incompetence on the matter rather than the matter itself.

"Oh, you certainly tried. It's just that, some people are just better at it than you boys are. They notice much more than the average person," Hiruzen said.

"So what are you going to do about it?" Tora finally asked, breaking his silence, perhaps a little too rudely, but the old man paid him no mind. "I mean, it's not like there's a curfew in the village or something, is there?"

"There isn't, but the curious matter of your outing remains," Hiruzen planted his elbows on the table. "What is it that you boys hope to find? And what _have_ you found?"

"Why is that so important?" Shisui asked.

Hiruzen sighed. "I'll be honest with you boys. What you're treading on is a very sensitive matter for the village. And I cannot take responsibility should you boys not tread carefully. Some things are out of my jurisdiction."

"Shouldn't the Hokage have total control?" Itachi asked.

"Unfortunately, the hierarchy of power isn't that simple, Itachi-kun," Hiruzen sighed, lighting his pipe and releasing a mouthful of smoke. "While it is like that on paper, there are many more layers to this village's leadership than you might think."

"Does that explain the part of Anbu that aren't under your direct command?" Tora asked, straight to the matter. Hiruzen sighed tiredly.

"Lord Fourth had informed me of your little encounter before he died," Hiruzen closed his eyes. "We did not expect _him_ to be so direct on recruiting a new member."

"Who's _him_?" Shisui asked.

"I cannot disclose that information," Hiruzen answered, standing up from his seat. While Shisui and Tora looked annoyed, they had expected such a response. "This is no trivial matter. Whatever it is that you hope to find, I ask you boys to put it aside for now. This is not something academy students like you should be delving into. I cannot help you boys should you mess up."

"We understand, sir," Itachi answered promptly, earning looks from Shisui and Tora. "We will not trouble you more with this matter."

Hiruzen stared deep within Itachi's eyes, searching for a glimpse of honesty. He found none. But he found no trace of deceit either.

"Then I wish you boys enjoy the rest of your day," Hiruzen sat back down, inhaling smoke from his pipe and exhaling it.

"We wish you a good day too, sir," Itachi bowed, before turning back towards the door, Shisui and Tora on his heels. Hiruzen narrowed his eyes as they left the room. Glancing up towards the ceiling, it did not take more than a few seconds for the Anbu hiding there to come out of his position.

"Your orders, sir?" the Anbu asked with a knee on the floor. His dog mask covered his face, but his uniform did not cover his iconic silver hair.

"Watch those boys. Make sure they don't get into trouble. They're too good for their own well-being," Hiruzen said, leaning on his chair while puffing another smoke from his pipe.

The Anbu did not ask on what he was to do should the boys get into trouble. As an Anbu, you do not mess up your task, and if you do, you sort it out yourself. With a quick nod, the Anbu performed a Body Flicker technique, leaving no trace that he was ever in the room.

* * *

"You sure the shadow clones will hold out?" I asked Itachi. He gave me a nod, which left me a bit skeptical.

Shisui huffed, "It has to. That single clone took out a considerable amount of my chakra." Shisui stretched his neck and set his clothes straight, making sure that there weren't anything flowing in case it caught onto anything.

We had agreed that tonight would be our last night. No point in more when we had found what we were looking for. It took a considerable amount of time, but after weeks of following many individuals, it all came to head. A strange masked Anbu had led us there. Many Anbu moved about during the night, but they usually report back to the Hokage tower after a mission. Not this Anbu, though. Upon returning from a mission, said Anbu did not go to the direction of the Hokage tower. Instead, the trail led us to a decrepit building. We had ended our scouting there, deciding to investigate the building tonight.

I pulled my cloth mask over my mouth, ensuring my identity would remain a secret, but not hindering my vision. Itachi and Shisui did the same with their masks.

"You know you don't have to do this with me, right?" I asked them.

"You said the same thing a few weeks back," Shisui chuckled. "Do you really think we'll have a different answer?"

"Besides, we are also curious about the mysterious Anbu who attacked you, as well as the Anbu squad who tried to take you both two years ago," Itachi quipped in, looking at Shisui and me. "You said you suspected something strange in the orphanage. Some of the kids went missing despite not being adopted, right?"

I nodded, "At least I'm sure they're not being adopted."

"They may be connected," Shisui said, looking at me. "I know you've been fine during those two years, but watch your back in that orphanage."

"Well it's not like I'm very popular over there."

"You should try being a bit friendlier," Itachi suggested.

I scoffed, "You're one to talk, Itachi." It was a low jab, but Itachi brushed it off like it was nothing. I didn't know if it was his unflappable patience, or the fact I had done it so many times that he got used to it. I like to think it was the former. It made me feel less guilty.

"Like usual, we'll spread out, but keep each other within sight," Itachi laid down our strategy. "Once we're in, try to avoid combat at all costs. Not only would it bring unwanted attention, remember that we're going up against people with Anbu training."

"And if it's unavoidable, knock them unconscious as fast as we could. No killings. The usual, right?" Shisui said, not minding Itachi's warning of people with superior Anbu training. Itachi also didn't point out how it would be near impossible for someone of our level to kill an Anbu, although I did see him roll his eyes from the corner of my eyes.

"Just reminding us all of the limits we can do. Remember that the Hokage already has his sight on us. He probably has someone watching our clones back home," Itachi replied.

With a quick nod we spread out across the rooftops. I easily jumped from building to building, running up a water pipe with chakra-covered feet while Shisui swung from one terrace to another. At times, I couldn't help but be impressed at what chakra enabled us to do. Itachi was less flashy with his movement, but no less graceful.

I looked up at the moon, the same glowing hunk of rock that was there during the Nine Tails attack. I never really liked looking at it after that day, but its light illuminated our path, seeing as the path we were taking was mostly above the street lights.

It didn't take long until we reach the familiar rundown building. The moon lighted the structure in all its splendid glory. The windows were broken in, probably from looters. The doors were on the end of its hinges and the garden unkempt, wild grass growing up to the window sill. I swore I saw a rat scurried off among the grass. No doubt there were more inside.

Shisui entered the building inside to scout ahead. When the all clear sign came from a window, Itachi and I swiftly moved inside. The inside of the building wasn't any better than the outside. The paint was scrapping off and the tiles were cracked in various places. Dust matted nearly every surface that I could see. There was a small detail that I noticed, though. One that Itachi noticed as well.

The hum of a generator coming from inside.

"With how far in it is, I doubt anyone outside could hear it," I mused. Itachi nodded, taking point. Shisui followed behind Itachi while I take the rear. The halls were pretty unremarkable. Nothing for us to know what the building was used before its abandonment. Other than the sound of generator, we neither saw nor heard anything of interest.

"It's an intersection," Itachi pointed from the front. Shisui looked a little unsure before glancing at me for an opinion.

"We split up?" I asked. Itachi looked turned his head towards me, Sharingan already activated. A year back, I would still be intimidated by the sight of it, but constantly training with Itachi and Shisui while looking the Sharingan in the eye made me used to it. If he wanted to harm me, he would've done so during the many other times I stared at his Sharingan. Probably with a Genjutsu. I didn't know his capabilities with it, but considering it's Itachi, I somehow had no doubt that he's already pretty good with it.

"Are you sure of splitting up?" Itachi asked me.

I shrugged, "You did say this is simply an in-and-out thing, right? As long as we avoid combat, I think we'll be fine."

"…"

I felt one of my eyes twitched in annoyance, "I'm not gonna go looking for a fight, if that's what you're thinking!"

"Calm down, Tora," Shisui chuckled. "I say we split up, but don't take too long. Thirty minutes tops."

Itachi nodded, "Agreed. It wouldn't wise to spend more than necessary here. We meet back at this intersection."

After making sure we had enough to defend ourselves, Itachi took the intersection to the right and Shisui to the left. I took the straight path, a kunai already within my grip should anything happen. I walked cautiously for a few minutes, my eyes already used to the dark hallway. It was a few minutes later that I noticed something on the ground. I walked up to it and crouched down to inspect it.

"Cables?"

Electrical cables were laid on the ground. Sprouting out from the wall to my right, the cables continued down the hallway. Following the cable, I narrowed my eyes as I heard a sound. An electronic beeping sound. Pressing my back to the wall behind me, I crept closer. There didn't seem to be any sound other than said beeping, but I wasn't taking any chances.

As I turned around the corner, I was greeted with the sight of green tubes filled with liquid lining up the walls. I let out a silent gasp as I realized what was inside those tubes. Bodies. Bodies of children about my age with tubes connected to them, pumping some strange substance. It was only a few seconds later that I notice some of them were twitching. Those weren't bodies. They were alive. The computer screen near me only reinforced that fact, seemingly monitoring each and every one of those tubes with their status displayed in bright green letters..

I heard footsteps behind me. Tensing up, I hid behind the computer console. It didn't sound heavy, which meant he was probably around my age and height. Was it the one who attacked me that night? Or another one? Gripping my kunai, I lashed out from behind the console and pushed my stalker against the wall, my forearm against his throat, and the kunai in my other hand pointing at his eye.

* * *

Shisui took in his surroundings as he came upon what looked like a small storage room. Activating his Sharingan, he scanned the room, noticing the roof window, which let the moon illuminate the room. Nothing seems to be of interest here, until he noticed a crate with yellow tapes around. It wasn't very large, probably as large as a weapon case. Crouching down in front of it, he pulled out a kunai and cut the tapes off. With a huff, he lifted the lid of the crate, letting it fall down on the floor.

Shisui was confused at what he saw. A severed right arm lay inside the crate. It was pale, ghostly white, even. It had a few bumps on its skin which looked like closed holes, but for now, it was shut tight. Looking to the side of the crate, Shisui noticed a name for it, however crudely written it was.

"Project Shin?" he mused out loud.

The sound of someone landing alerted him out of his musings, and Shisui turned around, kunai in hand to see an individual, a little taller than him, standing below the now opened roof window of the storage room with a dark hood covering his form.

The opened window let in the cold night wind, and the newcomer's cloak swayed, showing Shisui the individual's scarred uncovered arm, as well as the white mask under the hood; the image fitting nicely with Tora's description of his attacker two years back.

Twirling the kunai in his hand, Shisui narrowed his eyes, "Can I help you with something, pal?"

The masked individual just stood there, not gracing Shisui with an answer.

"I bet you're disappointed that I'm not the one you're looking for, huh?"

This time, the masked figure responded, not with words, but by pulling out his ninjato. Shisui looked down at his kunai before shrugging. It would have to do.

"So it's going to be like that? Fine."

* * *

 **Haha! How long has it been since the last update? Over three months? I feel like I have to explain myself, but at this point, those who follow this story should probably know that I've been busy with college.**

 **That being said, I can't continue like this. I have to put up a target for my updates. At most, a new chapter will come out a month after the previous one. How's that? This story has to get somewhere, after all. And the draft I've prepared for future events can't just go to waste.**

 **With that said, I'm sure you've noticed one of Tora's new problems. Reigning in his anger. He's quite the temperamental guy, with even Itachi having to put up with it. He's not going to be like this for the rest of the story, though. There is such a thing called "character development", after all. Just don't expect it to come swooping in out of nowhere.**

 **As for pairing, well, you'll have to be on your toes. I'm sure I've dropped quite a few hints with Konan, but I'm asking you now. Are you sure it's the final pairing? After all, the dream segments have mostly been seen from Tora's perspective, and I am a sucker of the "unreliable narrator" trope. Oh, and if you haven't checked it out, I completely revamped Kushina's (or Naruto's) dream in chapter 6. It's not a simple edit as well. I completely changed it. Go back two chapters if you're interested.  
**

 **Anyway, follow, favorite, and review. I really want to hear your thoughts on the plot and your prediction on future events. It encourages me to write faster, seeing your opinion on the matter.**


	9. Chapter 9: A Hundred Verses

**The Road of Life**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all its characters. I'm just playing around with them.**

 **A/N: Yeah… The whole schedule thing kind of went out the window immediately, didn't it? Oh well. I did say that I'm not giving up on this story. I've put in too much time in writing the drafts, and I do really like this story.**

 **Just so you guys know, Saisu Kamano isn't an OC. He is the kid with dirty blonde hair that used to harass Itachi during his academy days. I'm going to use some more obscure canon characters in the future, so keep your eyes open.**

* * *

 _ **A Hundred Verses under the Gazebo**_

 _I looked at Shisui, whose eyes were glued to the stars above. It was close to midnight – the drinking session we had went on longer than either of us expected. Still, I looked at him, noting how similar our builds were. Well, it was to be expected, considering our situation._

 _"Shisui…"_

 _"Hm?"_

 _"Have you ever wondered what would happen if you _"_

 _"Huh?" Shisui chuckled. "It's not like you to dwell on the past. Don't get depressed on me. Might set a bad example for Haku. The poor boy, hahaha…"_

 _"Humor me."_

 _Shisui leaned back on the fence we were standing on, mismatched eyes scanning over the grass field before us. After a while, he let out another chuckle. He didn't seem drunk, although I wondered if shadow clones could get drunk in the first place._

 _"Actions you take during childhood are all mysterious," Shisui began. "None of them can be really explained. I have no real idea why I did what I did that night, really. My train of thought was completely different than what it is now."_

 _I never felt like that. I, who had been born with the mature mind of a teenager, truly felt like an old man now. What did I miss – did I miss the blissful ignorance that most children enjoy so much? I couldn't help but feel jealous. That was the kind of man I am. So petty._

 _"But I can say this," Shisui continued. "If you are to die tomorrow, I'm fine with my life ending then as well. But if for some reason you want to live for another day, I'll go on living with you as well."_

* * *

Shisui jumped backwards as the ninjato almost sliced his head off. The attack did not subside, and Shisui did all he could to avoid his opponent's attacks, narrowly missing death with every dodge. His opponent was good, with clearly more training and experience under his belt.

He was running out of room to dodge. With a cat-like leap, Shisui distanced away from his opponent, only to be bombarded with more swings. Even with his Sharingan, Shisui was barely able to keep up with whoever it was.

His opponent was good – really good. He might have bitten more than he could chew. Quickly scanning his surroundings, Shisui jumped up on top of a set of crates, before unleashing a fireball jutsu. The searing heat would've burned through most things – if it had hit. But it wasn't Shisui's intention to hit his target.

Even before his jutsu subsided, Shisui already turned around, and he wasn't surprised to catch his opponent's blade with his own kunai before it had the chance to pierce his torso. His hand was practically shaking at the force of the blow. Pushing back the assailant with his feet, Shisui jumped back on top of another set of crates, assessing the situation.

He already had a good general idea on what was happening inside the facility, but the problem was getting out of it. The boy in front of him was much better trained than he was. Give him a few years to catch up, and he might be able to beat the boy, but not now.

He feared that with how boring the academy had been, they'd been too complacent. That wouldn't do.

Still, there wouldn't be a chance to return if they don't get out of here. Pulling out a few sets of wires from his pouch, Shisui concocted a plan to slow down his opponent while he escaped. It wasn't foolproof, but it was better than anything he could come up in such a short amount of time.

All that mattered now was executing said plan.

The masked boy charged, and Shisui tensed, already looking for opportunities to execute his plan. He _did not expect_ a newcomer to come jumping down from the ceiling and block the incoming attack. Shisui eyes widened at the unexpected interruption, things seemingly playing out in slow motion as the newcomer expertly warded off the masked boy. His opponent gave some distance between Shisui and the newcomer, and it was then that he saw who this newcomer was.

It was a young man with a dark mask covering his lower face and a mop of silver hair on top of his head. He was wearing the standard Chunin-Jounin uniform complete with green vest. In his hand was a kunai used to block the attack.

"K-Kakashi-san?" Shisui uttered out, remembering the teenager who had taught him and Tora how to climb trees.

Kakashi glanced at Shisui with an annoyed glare, sighing, "You kids are more trouble then you should be."

* * *

What the hell? What the hell is he doing here!? With an arm on his throat, I could only glare in surprise at the newcomer in front of me. Although it wasn't anyone dangerous, his presence here still risked a lot of danger. Did he follow the three of us from the entrance? Or was it even before that?

"What are you doing here, Saisu?" I asked the boy in front of me, taking my kunai off his eye and pocketing it back. He could only wither under my glare, his messy mane of hair even messier after our brief tussle. The shorter boy glared back at me, but I could see that he was afraid.

"I followed you, of course!" answered the boisterous Saisu Kamano, my classmate from the academy. I put a hand over his mouth.

"Not so loud!" I told him. "Why the hell were you following me?"

"I wanna know your secret!" he answered

Huh? What secret?

Saisu continued, "You, who kept up with the two Uchihas in our class. There must be some sort of secret that you're hiding in order to do that!"

 _I'm dealing with an idiot_ , was what came to my mind initially. But the rational part of my mind prevailed, reminding me that I was dealing with an immature child.

"There's no secret," I retorted. "Get out of here. It's not safe."

"I can take care of myself!"

"Really?" I huffed. "Then that means that you won't need an escort to get back out."

"O-oi! You jer –

I slammed my hand over his mouth and pressed him against the wall. Seeing as he won't make another sound, I carefully took him with me to stand behind a shelf.

I had heard footsteps. From the sound of it, it was only a single person. But I wasn't taking any chances. I may be much stronger than the average academy student, but a full-fledged ninja was not something I wanted to tangle with.

As the sound of footsteps came closer and closer, I pressed my arm over Saisu's chest, plastering him against the wall in fear of him running away in fright and giving off our positions.

As the figure came to light, my breath hitched. Had my resolve been weaker, I might have hyperventilated from the sheer amount of trouble we were in.

It was Orochimaru, still in his uniform and holding some papers in his hand. He was walking slowly, immersed in whatever he was reading. Looking back at the tubes I have a fair idea on what the notes were about. Saisu seemed to have noticed the tubes as well, as he was shaking in fear at what he was seeing. I desperately sent a warning glance at him and covered his mouth to prevent any sound of getting out.

Forget about fighting a full-fledged ninja, this was one of the freaking Sannin. We would be obliterated with no second to fight back if he found out we were here. He was walking in a direction that would pass us. His head was turned away from the shelf we were hiding behind, murmuring something that I couldn't hear.

Then he stopped.

His shoulders seem stiff, as if he was noticing something. I could feel a bead of sweat trailing down my temple. Beside me, Saisu was soundlessly shaking, quivering at the sight of the Sannin.

"This chakra…" Orochimaru muttered. I stiffened, afraid that he had sensed out our chakra. "Kakashi?"

I could've screamed in relief. A bigger chakra presence was nearby. I even recognized the name. It was the masked teenager that taught me and Shisui tree climbing. Well the guy was kind of famous in the village anyway.

 _Thank you, you aloof bastard…_

"Danzo's soldiers haven't been doing their job," Orochimaru muttered, visibly irritated.

I did not know who this Danzo was, but I could only internally jump in joy as Orochimaru left the room to deal with whatever disturbance was in the area. Was this "Danzo" the person the Third Hokage was talking about? The one who sent that Anbu after me?

I only let Saisu out of my grip after the sound of Orochimaru's footsteps were gone. I let out a huge sigh of relief before glaring at the shorter boy who wasn't doing any better – if not worse than me at the moment.

"You need to get out of here," I said to him, and he nodded none too eagerly.

"W-what about you?" he asked.

"I need to find Itachi and Shisui," I said, already preparing to scour the base for them.

"No need for that."

I went still as a new voice came from behind us, and I did recognize the voice. I turned around to stare at a masked young man with silver hair. Even with most of his face covered, I could see it clearly in his eyes that he was mad.

"Um... hey, Kakashi-san," I said to him.

He was still glaring at me.

"You two are coming with me," he whispered just in case anyone was nearby. Even in his hushed tone, I can still hear the frustration within it.

Without another word, and heedless to Saisu's protests, Kakashi wrapped his arms around each of us and Body-Flickered out of the area. I was still reeling from the high speed movement when I realized that we were just outside the premises.

"Itachi and Shisui-

"Is here," another Kakashi interrupted me, holding Shisui within his arms as well.

Another one came not a second later, holding Itachi. With puffs of smoke, the Kakashi by my side and Itachi's dispersed, leaving the original standing by Shisui. He was silent for a few seconds, arms crossed in front of him while glaring piercing knives at us.

"Disobeying direct orders from the Hokage," Kakashi drawled. "That is not something to be taken lightly. Tell me why I shouldn't just bring you three to the man himself."

I nervously pulled the mask off my face, seeing no use for it anymore. "I may have something…" I said.

* * *

I sat on my seat silently with Shisui right beside me and Itachi beside him. The three of us, plus Saisu, had gotten a mostly free pass from Kakashi due to the information we had encountered. At first, I wondered why the ninjas patrolling the village hadn't ever encountered Orochimaru's lair, but Kakashi said that the Hokage already had suspicions. They just hadn't found any proof. Concrete ones, at least.

Well, it seemed the three of us had found the proof for them. Well, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I had stumbled upon the place on one of our nights out. It was just enough to get in the good graces of Kakashi and the Hokage after our blatant disregard of the village head's order.

Still, the three of us were still in the academy, and was now attending a more advanced class than before – which was something the three of us were glad of. Anymore droning of basics and our heads would just explode out of sheer boredom. Perhaps not Itachi, though. His head would just silently deflate out of boredom.

He was subtle like that.

And though our homeroom was still the same as before, we spent most of our day in a different class with the older students. It earned more than a few heads to turn our way, which wasn't that different out of the norm. We were constantly matching, or specifically in Itachi's case, outclassing many of our older peers in many categories.

During the first hour alone, one of the older students had approached me and jabbed a finger onto my chest, saying something nonsensical I couldn't care less about. This time, I didn't hold back as I did against Saisu's attempt at riling me up. The older student's dislocated finger had been easily fixed with a trip to the infirmary, and it earned some space for the three of us, making sure no one hounds us during our stay at the academy.

Was it too much?

Perhaps.

Call me edgy or whatever. I just wanted to get out of the academy and pass the classes. Although Itachi did mention that letting my temper take control shouldn't ever be a first solution.

To be fair, that was the _second_ time someone tried to rile me up in the past week alone. The situation with Saisu had been the first solution.

Admittedly, it wasn't that much better, but oh well…

I turned to Shisui who sat before me, whispering, "So… You think we're in the safe-zone with the old man Hokage?"

Shisui turned to me, just as perplexed. "You're asking me? It's a good thing that we are particularly talented in class, or they'd have no reason to keep us in the academy."

Itachi cut into the conversation, "Well, the academy can't exactly expel both Shisui and I without gaining the attention of our clan."

"I seem to have noticed that I was excluded from that observation of yours," I replied.

Itachi shrugged innocently.

"Still," Shisui said. "You did get a name. Danzo, right?"

"Ring any bells?" I asked the two of them, with both shaking their heads at the mention of the name. I turned to Itachi. "Have your father ever mentioned anyone with that name?"

"Not that I know of," Itachi said. "But when I'm Genin, my father will start letting me attend clan meetings."

I felt a little unsure. Itachi would be in a lot of trouble if he relayed any classified information. "Are you sure about that?"

"I don't know yet," Itachi shook his head. "But let's shelf that for later."

I nodded once, my eyes straying outside the window. Somehow, I had a feeling that the name "Danzo" would be a name I'm familiar with in just a few short years.

* * *

"Guys!"

I turned my head around to the source of the call, and so did Itachi and Shisui. We were walking down the street together, close to the intersection that would separate the paths towards the orphanage and the Uchiha Compound.

It was Izumi, and she was jogging slightly to catch up with us. We stopped on our tracks, letting Izumi closer. "What is it?" I asked her.

She huffed, breathing a little deeper from her jog. "I'm just worried. I thought the three of you were going to be expelled after that problem in class!"

Little did she know that we had gotten into an even bigger problem that very night.

With the Hokage himself, no less.

I should put that on my resume…

Anyway, Izumi. In front of us. Almost forgot about her.

"Oh, we're fine," Shisui answered for us. "We didn't even get that much of a reprimand."

"Still!" Izumi huffed. "You guys shouldn't get into any trouble like that! Some of us in class actually care about you guys!"

"We're fine, Izumi," Itachi answered her. "There's nothing to worry about. In fact, I think things are looking up for us."

"Really?" she asked, a bit skeptical.

"Yeah," Itachi said. "At the rate we're in, we might even graduate early."

Izumi huffed, eyeing the three of us. "Figures… I'm not surprised."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You haven't heard?" Izumi asked back. "You three are practically the talk of the academy, whether it's the teachers or the students."

I crossed my arms. "I mean, I do notice the stares and talks a bit."

Izumi continued. "I heard that the teachers have already assigned a Jounin instructor for when you three graduate."

"That ahead?" Shisui asked.

Looking beside me, I noticed Itachi's wary gaze staring at nothing in front of him. That meant he was deep in thought. I turned back to Izumi.

"Anyway, Izumi. Thanks for the concern, but we're thinking of getting some late training in," I said to her.

"Ah, that's fine," Izumi replied. "See you guys tomorrow!"

As the girl ran off home, the three of us stayed rooted in place. We did not approach any of the training grounds. It was our day off from training. The body also needs rest, after all.

Then, Itachi spoke up unprompted, which was a rarity itself, even with the three of us. "Do you think it's safe to assume that one of… _them_ is within the academy, watching us?"

I looked at Shisui, who simply narrowed his eyes at the implication. "That's certainly possible," Shisui said. "But I don't want to point fingers. We barely got by scot-free with the Hokage."

"So, we wait and see?" I asked the both of them.

"I mean, what else is there to do?" Shisui asked. "We'll just get into more trouble."

I did not like it, but I agreed with him. The sun was far from setting, but we had all agreed that this day of the week would be our day-off. I was also dreading on returning to the orphanage just yet. With that, Shisui and Itachi went off on their way to the compound, while I walked about in an aimless direction. The orphanage was nothing but a roof to sleep under for me. I didn't have much of a reason to spend time there.

I reached into the bag on my side. I left most of the academy textbooks under my bed, not really seeing any point on bringing them along when I barely used them. Pulling out a small book, I read the title.

 _"A Hundred Verses from the Warring Era"_

A book about poems. Not really something I'd usually pick up from the book store, but Itachi recommended it to me, saying that it wouldn't be a bad thing to pick up on. I didn't really know what reading poems had to do with being a ninja, but I would take his word on it.

The book had been in my possession for about a week now, and with our nightly outings, I never really had the time to truly dive into it. There had been a few dips, but I don't think I had even passed the introduction just yet.

With book in hand, I walked to a small park near the edge of the village, close to a training ground. Not many people came to the park, as most preferred the one in the center of the village. But that was just fine with me. I had been visiting the place for the past few weeks during off-days, even before I got the poem book. It was quiet, and sometimes I just prefer it to be that way. The orphanage was filled with too many kids for me to have any solace.

I entered the park through its main gate, and I couldn't help but let out a long breath as I walked along the small man-made lake within the park. The atmosphere was calming, and with the trees acting as shades from the sun's rays, the temperature was warm, but still windy and refreshing.

I kept walking until a small, familiar gazebo by the side of the lake came into view. It was where I usually spend my time in the park, away from prying eyes. I could act as if the world around me didn't exist. It would just be me, the lake, and a book in hand.

Although…

It seemed that I would be having company for the day. There was a girl sitting on one of the benches under the gazebo. I didn't mind, actually. As long as she didn't disturb me, I wouldn't disturb her.

I walked closer, finally noticing the girl's features. Purple hair cut to shoulder-length. Brown eyes gazing impassively across the lake. She was older than me, perhaps by three or four years, which would make her around the age of ten or eleven.

"Excuse me," I said as I walked under the gazebo, taking a seat on the bench under it, which circled its inside. She noticed my presence, and proceeded to scoot a bit further from me to make some room between us.

How thoughtful.

I set my bag down, and took out a small water bottle. I took a few swigs before setting it down beside me. I opened up the book, settling on just after the introductions. My eyes swam from the side of a page to the other, but not in haste. Instead, they were steady. A poem was not just something you read and get on with, Itachi once told me.

I took a single deep, calming breath, before reciting one of the poems under my breath.

" _We met but for a moment,_

 _I'm wretched as before;_

 _The tide shall measure out my life,_

 _Unless I see once more,_

 _Those eyes, which I adore."_

I took a moment to take in the poem. I read the description under said poem, noting that it was made by the son of a Daimyo during the Warring era. He was noted for his love affairs, and so I wasn't surprised at the romantic tone of his poem.

I could see what the poet meant to portray, though. Or at least I could imagine it. I wondered if I had any experience in romance during my past life. Sometimes, I wondered if any memories of said time would surface. Knowledge was one thing, but memories were another.

Knowledge was needed to survive, to get by in the world – in any world, not just the one I was currently in. But memories… they define a person. You don't need such sentimentalities to survive, but without them… Without memories of my past life, I was effectively a blank slate. Or worse, someone with a gaping hole in his being.

Was I being too dramatic on it? Perhaps. But sometimes, I wondered if it would've been much better to not have the knowledge that I had a life before this. Ignorance is bliss, they say. Still, wallowing in self-doubt like that served no purpose. I got dealt a hand – a rather shitty one, if I was being honest. But all that was left was to make use of said hand effectively.

How long could I keep that up, I wonder.

* * *

The girl had scooted further a bit from the boy, giving him some space. He brought out a bottle of water and drank from it before opening a small peculiar book. She had never seen the boy before in her life, but she knew of who he was.

Her target.

Danzo-sama's target. The one she was ordered to keep an eye on.

She was wearing an inconspicuous set of clothes, making her look no different than any other eleven year old girl. And it seemed to have worked, as the boy, Tora Mori, did not seem to harbor any suspicions towards her presence.

She watched him take a deep breath, and she stilled for a moment, expecting him to talk to her, ask her anything. And as prepared, she would have a few set of answers depending on what he would be asking of her. It was simple. It was supposed to be simple.

But no audible words came out of him. Instead, he muttered something as his eyes glazed across the page of his small book. As an extension of Danzo-sama's will, she had quite a few set of skills to help her achieve her objective. One of them being the ability to read lip movements. And although she could read Tora Mori's lip movements, she understood nothing of what it said.

Was he talking in riddles? Codes? Did he have any method of contacting the Uchiha boys he had been with not long ago? But then, he simply stopped. A hand on his chin, his face took a contemplating expression, eyes still glued to the page – calm, yet intense.

What was in that book? She had to know, gather anything she could on him. That was the mission. The younger boy still hadn't moved, but his eyes suddenly roamed to her, finally noticing the stare. A silent question was delivered from him through their locked eyes.

She blinked.

He didn't.

She shouldn't be too forward. Her mission was to gather intel on him. "Excuse me," she said, standing up from her seat. And with that, their eye contact broke. He went back to his book, and she walked past him towards the park, intending to go deeper, away from prying eyes so that she could report back to her handler.

Yes. She shouldn't be too forward. This encounter was just one of many. Intel gathering was a slow and methodical process, but rewarding in its own way. Walking away from the gazebo, she wondered back on the words that came out of his mouth, thinking on its importance, racking her mind on where she could find info on it.

" _We met but for a moment,_

 _I'm wretched as before;_

 _The tide shall measure out my life,_

 _Unless I see once more,_

 _Those eyes, which I adore."_

Yugao Uzuki, her name for this mission, did not know what those words meant. But she would know eventually. For Danzo-sama.

* * *

 **Heh. I really doubt the ninjas under Danzo are versed in the way of poetry, especially since a lot of them are trained to be emotionless killing machines from a very young age. So yeah, Yugao Uzuki enters the stage, and in this fic, she was part of Root during her childhood.**

 **It won't be long before Tora becomes an official genin, but it's not exactly close either. So Team Kushina isn't going to be a thing just yet. I don't really know if people are still following this fic. The last update came out nearly a year ago, and I guess that's on me. College and part time job has been taking my time, but I'll try to be more consistent.**

 **Follow, favorite, and give me your thoughts in a review. It would really help on improving my writing.**


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